Meat-free blt spaghetti with butter lettuce leek and tomato are feel-good favorites. I make cozy meals for myself or for my family at the end of especially long days, on nights when I feel a cold coming on, or when we are in need of a little cheering up at your house.

SERVES 4 TO 6

Ingredients:

Salt

1 pound spaghetti

2 heads of butter lettuce

½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup fresh basil tops or ¼ cup tarragon leaves

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds

A generous handful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish

Black pepper

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

¼ to 1/3 cup EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), plus 2 tablespoons

3 to 4 leeks, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced into half-moons on an angle, cleaned, and dried

3 to 4 garlic cloves, grated or chopped

1 pint grape tomatoes

½ cup dry white wine

Juice of ½ lemon

Method:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water, and cook the spaghetti to 1 minute shy of al dente. Meanwhile, chop and reserve 1 head of lettuce, then chop the second head and add to a food processor with the parsley, basil or tarragon, mint, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and the lemon zest.

Pulse-chop the greens, then turn on the processor and stream in ¼ cup of the EVOO to form a pesto. Add an extra tablespoon or two if necessary to reach the desired consistency. Transfer to a large pasta serving bowl and reserve.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a skillet over medium heat, then add the leeks and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes, or until the leeks are wilted. Add the grape tomatoes, stir, raise the heat a bit, and place the lid on the pan.

Cook for 8 to 10 minutes to burst the tomatoes; force the last few along with a potato masher or wooden spoon if you get impatient. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the wine, and cook off for 1 minute.

When the pasta is almost al dente, add a ladle of starchy pasta water to the pesto, then drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the pesto in the bowl along with the tomatoes and leeks, toss for 1 minute, then adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Douse the pasta with the juice of the lemon half and garnish with the reserved chopped lettuce. Serve with extra cheese for

topping.