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In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. As the milk solids rise, skim off with a slotted spoon. Try to remove as much as you can, for a fairly clarified butter.

With a silicone or pastry brush, apply the clarified butter to the surface of each dough circle. Sprinkle salt on top.

Bake until the dough makes a hollow sound when you tap the crust and is golden in color. A 4- to 6-inch round will take about 6 minutes. The bottom of the crust should be golden. Transfer to a kitchen towel to keep warm until serving.

Makes 6 pieces

STUFFED SHELLS WITH LENTIL RAGOUT & SPINACH

I’ve been a longtime fan of the lentil, but in the course of exploring more meat-free options, I’ve become even more impressed by the itty-bitty pulse that could. For the stuffed shells, an Italian-American classic typically stuffed with ground beef and heaps of ricotta, I throw caution to the wind and let the lentils take over. They don’t just do the job; they will wildly surpass your expectations, behaving with heft and grace, as if they should have been in that sauce all along.

KITCHEN NOTES : Boil the water for the pasta while preparing the lentils. While the shells are cooking, put the lentils on the stove. While the shells are cooling, put together the ragout.

Make It a Meal

Is your appetite bigger tonight than anticipated? Consider a versatile side to round out your plate. Mix-and-matching encouraged! See Make It a Meal sidebar on page 26.

INGREDIENTS

1 small cinnamon stick (or break

a larger one in half)

¼ medium-size onion, peeled but

left intact, plus ½ onion,

minced

½ cup dried brown or green

lentils

3½ teaspoons salt

½ package dried jumbo pasta

shells (about 20 pieces)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium-size carrot, peeled and

diced

1 celery stalk, diced

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Prepare the lentils: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil with cinnamon stick and the intact ¼ onion in a small saucepan. Add the lentils, cover, and lower the heat to low. Cook for 25 minutes. Discard the cinnamon and onion. Add ½ teaspoon of the salt and stir.

In a large saucepan, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add the shells and 2 teaspoons of the salt and cook for 12 minutes; the shells will still be a little tacky. Drain and transfer to a baking sheet to cool. Untangle the shells to prevent sticking.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Prepare the ragout: In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the carrot, celery, the minced ½ onion, and garlic. Stir and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup red wine

1 sprig fresh thyme, or

½ teaspoon dried

2½ cups tomato puree (nearly

an entire 28-ounce can)

¼ teaspoon cayenne

Ground black pepper

4 cups spinach, washed

thoroughly, stems removed

and finely chopped

(about 1 bunch)

Optional but tasty toppers: ¼ cup

grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

and ¼ cup smoked mozzarella

cheese, grated, or smoked

provolone or Gouda

Add the wine and thyme, allowing the wine to reduce for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree and cayenne, stir to combine, and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the lentils and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper, and taste, adding more as you see fit. Discard the thyme sprig, if using fresh.

Stir in the spinach, turn off the heat, and cover.

Ladle a small amount of ragout into a square or rectangular baking dish (9 x 13 inches works great). Line up the shells in dish, then with a small spoon, fill each shell with the ragout. Top off the shells with a ladleful of ragout, followed by your choice of cheeses (if using).

Bake for 30 minutes. The cheese will bubble a bit, but the shells should be pretty tender.

Makes 4 to 5 servings

Beets & Greens Quesadillas ★ Roasted Red Pepper Soup

BEETS & GREENS QUESADILLAS

Until I met Devra Gartenstein, I kept beets out of my kitchen. In addition to writing meatless cookbooks,