Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the egg noodles; cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes, then drain well.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, sour cream, sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until smooth.

Add the drained noodles to the bowl and stir gently to coat the noodles evenly with the creamy mixture.

Fold in the raisins, if using, until distributed throughout the noodle mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.

Remove from the oven and let the kugel cool for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.