PECAN TORTE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pulse pecans, cake meal, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until nuts are very finely chopped.
• Beat yolks and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and very thick. Stir in lemon zest and juice.
• Beat whites with salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 5 tablespoons sugar and beat until whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks.
• In 3 batches, alternately fold nut mixture and whites into yolk mixture. Spoon batter into ungreased pan and smooth top.
• Bake cake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pan, upside-down, 2 hours. (If pan has "legs," stand it on those. Otherwise, invert pan over neck of a bottle.)
• Turn pan right side up, then run a long thin knife around outer edge of cake with a smooth (not sawing) motion. Loosen center in same manner. Remove outer rim of pan and run knife under bottom of cake to release. Invert cake onto a cake plate.
• Beat cream with remaining tablespoon sugar until it just holds stiff peaks. Spread evenly over top and sides of cake and arrange strawberries on top. Serve chilled.