Grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish or similarly sized deep round baking dish. In a saucepan, gently heat the cottage cheese, water, and butter until the butter melts and the mixture reaches approximately 120-130°F; do not boil.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the dried minced onion, dill seed, salt, sugar, yeast, egg, and about 1 cup of the flour, then beat until smooth.

Stir in the remaining flour. The dough should be soft and sticky because this is a batter-style bread, so do not add large amounts of extra flour or knead it.

Cover the bowl and let the batter rise in a warm, draft-free place until approximately doubled, about 1 hour.

Stir the batter down and transfer it to the prepared casserole. Smooth the surface with a damp spatula or lightly greased hands.

Cover the casserole and let the dough rise again until noticeably puffy or nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, until the loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped. The center should register about 190-200°F.

Cool the loaf in the dish for approximately 10 minutes before turning it out. Brush the hot crust with butter if desired, then slice and serve.