This is one of those recipes that looks absolutely stunning when you pull it out of the oven and nobody believes you made it yourself. It’s tall, creamy, and has this gorgeous layered structure — a buttery shortbread base, a rich ricotta-style filling loaded with fresh strawberries, a fluffy meringue layer on top, and then grated dough baked over everything until golden. My family requests this every single summer without fail.
I’ll be honest, it takes a little time and there are a few components. But each one is simple, and when it all comes together the result is absolutely worth it.
For the pastry dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 stick plus 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 packet vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the cheese filling:
- 3 cups whole-milk ricotta or farmer’s cheese, well drained
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 packet (about 1.4 oz) vanilla pudding mix
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
For the meringue layer:
- 4 egg whites
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- one small packet of Jell-O or flavored gelatin powder, any berry flavor works beautifully here
Plus about 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled.
Start with the dough. Mix the flour, baking powder, and vanilla together, then work the cold butter in with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolks and sour cream and mix just until the dough comes together. Divide it in half, wrap both pieces, and refrigerate while you prepare everything else.
For the filling, beat the softened butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the ricotta, cornstarch, pudding mix, and milk until everything is smooth and creamy.
For the meringue, beat the egg whites until foamy, gradually add the sugar, and keep beating until you have stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in the gelatin powder and beat for another 30 seconds or so. The gelatin gives it a little extra stability and a pretty berry color.
Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Press the larger portion of dough evenly across the bottom. Pour the cheese filling over it and spread it out smoothly. Arrange the strawberries in an even layer right on top of the filling, then spoon the meringue over the strawberries and spread it gently. Now take the second half of the dough straight from the fridge and grate it on a box grater over the top of everything. It creates a beautiful crumbly golden crust as it bakes.
Bake at 340°F for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The top should be lightly golden and the filling should feel just set when you give the pan a gentle shake.
Let it cool completely before cutting, and honestly refrigerate it for a few hours first if you can wait that long. It slices perfectly clean, holds its shape beautifully, and looks like something from a proper bakery counter. Every summer I make this and every summer people ask me for the recipe.