1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch allspice

Pinch dried ginger

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles for about 6 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed or whisk until well blended. Beat in the sugar. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, butter, cottage cheese and vanilla, and whisk until the cream cheese is completely blended. Stir in the apples, dried fruit and orange zest and mix to blend. Stir in the drained noodles. Spoon into the prepared dish.

4. To make the topping, in a small bowl, combine the panko, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and butter, and mix with a fork to combine. Scatter the topping evenly over the noodles.

5. Bake for 1 hour, or until the kugel is set. Let rest for 15 minutes and then cut into squares and serve immediately.

Tasty Tips:

--Use low-fat sour cream, cottage cheese, and cream cheese for a lighter version.

--Advance Preparation: Make up to 8 hours ahead through step 4, cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)