Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water

6 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup chopped and toasted pistachios (chop first and then toast. Let cool. Can be made in advance.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Combine 2/3 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped into water and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Immediately pour caramel into prepared cake pan. Using pot holders to protect hands from hot caramel, rotate pan to coat bottom (not sides) of pan. Cool.

Whisk remaining 1/3 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in milk and cream. Pour custard mixture through sieve into caramel-lined pan. Place pan with custard in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan with custard.

Bake custard until center no longer moves when pan is gently shaken and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove custard from roasting pan. Cool 15 minutes. Chill uncovered until cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Run small knife between pan and custard to loosen. Place platter atop custard. Firmly hold pan and platter together and invert, shaking gently to unmold custard onto platter. Sprinkle custard with pistachios and serve. 

Bon Appétit, October 2000