Kosher Cooking Blog- Kim Kushner Cuisine: Make this NOODLE PUDDING!

Noodle pudding- everyone has their own recipe, their own style, and everyone thinks theirs is the best. Guess what? So do I!

Noodle pudding is usually a noodle casserole made of noodles and a sweet, creamy cheese mixture. There are hundreds of variations. Some people use cottage cheese, some use cream cheese, some like to throw in raisins or pineapple...Then, of course, there are the toppings: corn flake crumbs, nuts, streusel...to name a few!
I like to keep mine simple. I use a mixture of rich ricotta cheese and sour cream, and a touch of lemon zest. And as for topping, I think this is a perfect case of 'less is more'. The crunchy, browned noodles on top are the best part of it all, no bells and whistles needed.
A great make-ahead dish to serve at a brunch or lunch (freezes perfectly well, fyi). Perfect for Yom Kippur break-fast as well.
Give it a shot, and please, let me know what you think.

Kim's Noodle Pudding
makes one 9x13" rectangular Pyrex

1 and 1/2 bags of medium egg noodles (each bag is 12 oz, so 18 ounces total)
2 sticks of unsalted butter (I never claimed to be a health cook, but if you're gonna go for it, go for it!)
1- 15 ounce container ricotta cheese (I use whole fat)
1- 16 ounce container sour cream (I use whole fat)
2 tablespoons half and half
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
5 eggs

Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water, and let cool while you prepare the rest. Place the 2 sticks of butter into the same pot you used for the noodles. Melt the butter over low heat. Once the butter is melted, turn the heat off completely. Stir the ricotta and sour cream into the melted butter. Mix well. (This will cool the butter down). Whisk in the half and half, sugar, and lemon zest.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Pour the cheese mixture into the whisked eggs, and whisk together. Stir the noodles into this mixture. If the noodles are clumping together, just break them up with your fingers. Mix the noodles into the cheese mixture so that they are all well coated. Pour into a 9x13" greased Pyrex dish or casserole dish. Cover, and let sit for a few hours, or refrigerate overnight.

If you are short on time, no problem, just follow the cooking instructions below, and cook immediately. (The longer it sits before being cooked, the creamier it becomes, but it's truly delicious either way.) If you are freezing the noodle pudding, you can let it sit overnight in the fridge before covering well and placing in the freezer. (Let defrost before baking). Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour, uncovered. The top should be golden and crunchy. If it's not golden enough, bake for an additional 15 minutes. Cut into squares, and serve warm, with fresh berries and a dollop of whole fat sour cream (it's the best!). Enjoy.