Pastiera with Strawberry Sauce

• 1 quart whole milk
• 3/4 cup arborio rice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• Unsalted butter, for the pan
• All-purpose flour, for the pan
• 3 pounds fresh ricotta cheese, drained 3 hours or, preferably, overnight
• 3 whole large eggs plus 3 large yolks, lightly beaten
• Confectioners sugar, for dusting
• Strawberry Sauce (recipe follows)
• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• (makes 1 1/2 cups)

1. Bring the milk to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Stir in the rice, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla bean.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the rice is very tender and has absorbed all the liquid, about 30 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat.
5. Stir in 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
6. Cover; let cool, stirring occasionally.
7. Discard the vanilla bean.
8. Preheat the oven to 350F.
9. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
10. In a large bowl, combine the rice mixture, ricotta, whole eggs and egg yolks, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar.
11. Pour into the prepared pan.
12. Bake until golden on top and almost set in the center, 65 to 70 minutes; cover with foil if starting to brown too much.
13. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack.
14. When the cake has completely cooled, run a knife around the edge to loosen.
15. Gently remove the ring; transfer the cake to a serving platter.
16. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar, and serve with sauce.
17. Combine all the ingredients in a medium nonreactive saucepan.
18. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
19. Serve warm or at room temperature.
20. Pastiera, a traditional Neopolitan Easter pie, is actually a type of cheesecake.
21. Though no two recipes are alike, all contain ricotta cheese and a sweetened grain (usually rice or wheat berries), symbolizing springs fertility.

milk, arborio rice, ground cinnamon, coarse salt, vanilla bean, sugar, butter, flour, ricotta cheese, eggs, confectioners sugar, strawberry sauce, strawberries, sugar, lemon juice

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pastiera-with-strawberry-sauce-393063 (may not work)