Grandma Auerbach's Banana Pudding

This is my all-time favorite banana pudding recipe. This is my great-grandmother's recipe that I grew up on. It is the old-fashioned custard pudding that you make over the stove and is like the old-timers used to make.

3 c. WHOLE milk (For even richer pudding, do 1/2 milk and 1/2 evaporated milk)
2 c. sugar
4 T. flour
5-6 ripe bananas
4 egg yolks
3 T. vanilla
1/2 stick butter
vanilla wafers

Warm milk. Mix sugar, flour and egg yolks with a little of the warmed milk and whisk. Pour the paste in milk stirring over LOW heat. Cook until thickened. (Cook this on low heat and keep stirring constantly so as to not scald the milk. You will think it will never thicken but be patient. It will and it is worth the wait). Add vanilla and butter. Cool. Layer bananas, cookies and pudding. Top with cookies. Several relatives I have go on to top this with meringue, but it is rich enough that I don't think it needs the meringue but you can try it if you'd like.