Banana Pudding

1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/2 cup for meringue
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 cups milk
6 large eggs, separated
2 tsps. vanilla
8 to 10 ripe bananas
1 box Nabisco Nilla Wafers

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, egg yolks and half of the sugar in a heat proof bowl. Combine milk, salt and remaining half of sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Temper yolk mixture by slowly adding milk, stirring constantly until all milk has been added. Heat over double boiler, stirring frequently, until thick. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Strain through mesh strainer to remove any lumps.

Prepare meringue by combining whites with 1/2 cup sugar. Beat with mixture until stiff peaks form. Using a 9 inch rectangular Pyrex baking dish, alternate layers of sliced bananas, Nilla Wafers and pudding until you reach close to 1/2 inch from the top of the baking dish. Add meringue until top of pudding mixture is covered. Using a whisk, lightly touch the meringue and pull up to create peaks or points. Brown meringue in preheated oven for about five minutes. Serve warm or cool.

This is the real Southern way to make banana pudding. I like it just as well without the meringue, and with whipped cream or Cool Whip on top. The homemade custard is really good though. Esther often made a huge banana pudding for the family Christmas dinner. It tends to be everyone's first dessert.