Brie and Artichoke Custard Pie - bottoms

Method

• Prepare the artichoke bottoms, and let them stand in their cooking liquid until ready to use.
• Drain and scoop away the fuzzy choke from each.
• Cut the artichoke bottoms into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• There should be about 1 cup.
• Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Use a springform pan, 10 by 2 inches, with a removable bottom.
• Line the bottom and sides of the pan with wide aluminum foil, and brush all over with melted butter.
• Set aside.
• Rinse the spinach well.
• Pull or cut off and discard any tough stems; discard blemished leaves.
• Drain the spinach well.
• There should be about 3 cups loosely packed.
• In a saucepan, bring to a boil enough water to cover the spinach when it is added.
• Add the spinach, stirring it into the water.
• Cook about 1 minute or until wilted.
• Drain well.
• Squeeze to extract excess liquid.
• There should be about 1/2 cup.
• Chop the spinach, and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a skillet, and add the onion and garlic.
• Add the spinach and toss to blend.
• Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, and beat well.
• Beat in the cream and milk.
• Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Add the spinach mixture and blend.
• If a whole cooked potato is used, peel it and put it through a food mill or potato ricer.
• There should be about 1/2 cup.
• Add the mashed potato to the custard, and blend evenly.
• Pour the custard into the prepared pan, and place it in the oven.
• Bake 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim off and discard the tough outer coating from the Brie.
• Cut the cheese lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick wedges.
• Remove the pan from the oven, and sprinkle the artichoke pieces evenly over the top.
• Lay the strips of Brie flat in a circle like the spokes of a wheel around the top of the custard.
• Sprinkle the top with parsley, and return the pan to the oven.
• Bake 45 minutes or until a cake tester or thin skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the pie stand for 10 minutes before unmolding.
• To unmold, remove the circle of metal from around the pie.
• Pull down the foil.
• You may cut the pie into 8 wedges and serve it on plates directly from the kitchen.
• Or if you wish to display it, place a round plate over the top of the pie.
• Invert the pie onto this plate, remove the foil, and then place a serving plate over the bottom of the pie.
• Repeat the procedure, turning the pie right-side-up.
• Serve cut into 8 wedges with the tomato sauce on the side.