Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven heats up, grease and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This will make it easy to lift the bars out once they’re cooled.

Step 2: Make the Crust

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.

2. Add softened butter to the dry ingredients and use your hands or a pastry cutter to combine until the mixture becomes crumbly and starts coming together.

3. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use a flat spatula or the back of a spoon to press it down firmly.

4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust turns lightly golden around the edges. Once done, remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Prepare the Filling

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt until everything is smooth and creamy. Ensure that the mixture is free of lumps, especially from the ricotta.

2. Once the crust has cooled slightly, pour the ricotta mixture over it. Use a spatula to evenly spread the filling to cover the entire crust.

Step 4: Bake the Bars

1. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the filling is set and lightly golden on top. The center should be slightly firm when you gently shake the pan.

2. Once baked, remove the bars from the oven and let them cool completely in the pan. This cooling process is crucial as it allows the filling to firm up and become easy to slice.

Step 5: Cut and Serve

1. Once cooled, carefully lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Transfer them to a cutting board.

2. Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into squares or rectangles, depending on your preferred serving size.

3. For an extra touch, dust the tops with powdered sugar just before serving.