Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides. That overhang acts like handles, making it easy to lift the baked loaf out of the pan later.

Step 2: Blend the Cottage Cheese

Place the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth and creamy. This step helps create a moist, evenly textured loaf without large cottage cheese curds. If your blender struggles, scrape down the sides and blend again.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the blended cottage cheese, eggs, olive oil or melted butter, and honey if you are using it. Mix until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Step 4: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the bread flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisking the dry ingredients first distributes the leavening evenly through the flour, which helps the loaf rise consistently.

Step 5: Make the Batter

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the cottage cheese mixture. Stir gently with a spatula until a thick batter forms. If the mixture seems too stiff to come together, add milk one tablespoon at a time.

Try not to overmix. The batter should be thick and spreadable, rather than as firm as traditional yeast bread dough. Overmixing can make quick breads dense and tough, so stop as soon as everything is incorporated.

Step 6: Fold in the Poppy Seeds

Add 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds to the batter and gently fold them in until evenly distributed. Be careful not to overwork the mixture.

Step 7: Transfer to the Loaf Pan

Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Use a spatula to spread it evenly into the corners and smooth the top. Lightly brush the surface with milk or beaten egg, then sprinkle additional poppy seeds over the top. A beaten egg wash gives a deeper golden, shinier crust, while milk gives a softer finish.

Step 8: Bake Until Golden

Place the loaf pan on the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil during the final 10 to 15 minutes of baking.

Step 9: Cool the Bread

Remove the pan from the oven and let the bread rest for about 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully lift it out using the parchment paper and transfer it to a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely before slicing. This helps the center set and makes it much easier to cut neat slices.

Step 10: Slice and Enjoy

Use a serrated bread knife to slice the loaf, using a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing down. Serve fresh, toast until lightly golden, or use the slices to build hearty sandwiches.