Crab and Kale Lasagna Rolls with Pumpkin Sauce

Lasagna is one of those dishes that asks a lot of you. Layers, a big pan, a slab you have to cut into neat squares that never quite hold together. These rolls skip most of that. Each noodle gets its own little bundle of filling, so every serving comes out tidy, and the sauce does the rest of the work underneath.

The filling leans on kale, which is worth a moment. Kale is a member of the cabbage family, and it gets a lot more tender and sweet when it cooks down with onion and garlic than most people expect. Here it wilts into the ricotta and crab, so you get a soft, savory bite rather than anything leafy or chewy. If your bunch is very thick-stemmed, take the time to strip the ribs out. They take forever to soften and they are the part people tend to complain about.

A few things help this come together smoothly. Let the noodles drain well and lay them out on a towel while you work, because wet pasta is slippery and rolls up unevenly. Spread the filling right to the edges, then roll gently and set each one seam side down in the sauce. That way the seam stays put while it bakes. When you pour the rest of the pumpkin sauce over, you want it to reach the rolls, not pool at the bottom, so spoon it around them carefully. The sauce looks thin going in but thickens as it heats, and the mozzarella melts into it as the top browns.

Leftovers keep well. Cover the dish once it has cooled and refrigerate it for a couple of days. Reheat individual rolls in a covered dish in the oven, or in the microwave with a splash of skim milk over them so the sauce loosens again. The filling also makes a good spread on toasted bread the next morning, if you have any left in the bowl.

For a meal, these sit nicely alongside something green and simple. A dish of garlicky baby artichokes in olive oil brings a briny bite that suits the sweet pumpkin sauce, and a bowl of garlic Parmesan roasted broccolini adds crisp edges. Either one keeps the plate balanced without asking for much more cooking.