Honey-cheese Pie With Strawberry Compote *jb

FILLING
2 pk (8-oz) cream cheese, room
-temperature
1 15- to 16-oz container whole
-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 c Plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 c Plus 1 tablespoon honey
4 Extra-large eggs
2 ts Vanilla extract
1/2 ts Lemon extract

COMPOTE
3 12-ounce baskets small
-strawberries, hulled,
-quartered
1/3 c Honey

GARNISH
Additional honey
Strawberry blossoms or other
-small nonpoisonous flowers
-(optional)

For Crust: Preheat oven to 350 B0F. Wrap outside of 10-inch-diameter
springform pan with 2 1/2-inch-high sides with foil. Bring butter and
honey to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring occasionally. Remove
from heat. Finely grind vanilla wafers in processor. Add nuts and
salt to processor. Add butter mixture and process until nuts are
finely chopped. Press mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of
prepared pan. Bake crust until golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to
rack and cool. Reduce over temperature to
325 B0F.

For Filling: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and ricotta
cheese in large bowl until smooth. Mix in sugar and honey. Add eggs 1
at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and lemon
extracts. Pour filling into crust.

Bake pie until puffed, golden and center moves only slightly when pan
is gently shaken, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool
completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

For Compote: Mix quartered strawberries and 1/3 cup honey in large
bowl. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)

Run small sharp knife around sides of pan to loosen pie. Release pan
sides. Drizzle additional honey over pie in zigzag pattern. Transfer
pie to serving platter. Using slotted spoon, transfer some of
strawberry compote to top of pie, if desired. Garnish pie with
strawberry blossoms, if desired. Cut pie into wedges and serve with
remaining strawberry compote.