Method

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan with a fireproof lid, then stir through the sugar until dissolved. Next, add the cinnamon and star anise and let it simmer for about 5 minutes over moderate coals – stirring continuously – then remove from the heat.

Peel and slice the bananas and arrange over the whole lot, then roll out the short crust pastry and lay it over the bananas. Tuck the overhanging dough around the sides, and prick the surface with a fork.

Pop the lid onto the pan, and scatter a few coals over the top. Bake over moderate coals for about 25 minutes or until golden on top.

Remove the tart from the heat and allow to cool slightly, then place a wooden board over the top of the pan and carefully flip the pan over, so that the banana is on the top and the pastry at the bottom. Place it on the table with some bowls, double-thick cream and spoons, and watch it get devoured faster than a heartbeat.

Extracted from Road Tripping by Justin Bonello, written by Helena Lombard (Penguin). Photographs © Cooked in Africa Films.