Noodle Kugel

18 oz medium broad egg noodles
4 oz sweet butter, softened
6 lrg. eggs, separated
9 oz creamed cottage cheese
9 oz sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp orange peel, grated
18 oz apples, peeled, cored, sliced thinly
4 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Cook noodles in boiling, salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add butter and mix until the butter is melted. Set aside. In another mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, cottage cheese, sour cream, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, orange peel, apples and raisin. Add this mixture to the noodles and mix thoroughly. Quickly beat egg whites until stiff. Fold the whites into the noodle mixture thoroughly.Pour the noodle mixture into a greased 2 1/4 liter (2 1/2 quart) casserole, suitable for the table. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the top.

Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 45 minutes.

Serve from the casserole, either hot or at room temperature. The kugel can be rewarmed in a 350F oven for 15 minutes.