Now, this is our kind of batter -- made right in the blender!

The crepe batter is very simple: flour, egg, salt and milk.

A well-seasoned pan is your friend for this recipe.

The old pour and swirl method.

Our batter was a bit thick at first, so we added another 6 tablespoons or so of milk.

Amanda checks to see if her crepe is ready to be flipped. 

A perfect golden brown. (It only took us five tries to get these results.)

The filling consists of ricotta, parmesan, more egg, parsley, salt and pepper.

It's best to use a light touch when rolling the manicotti so that the cheese doesn't ooze out the ends.

Happy little manicotti nestle together on their tomatoey bed.

More sauce and some parmesan on the top, and then into the oven.

If you need some help browning the cheese, you can turn on the broiler for a minute or two at the end, but keep a close eye on your manicotti!

Milk, onion, red wine, ground lamb, tomato paste, grated Parmesan, feta, oregano, mint, sumac, cinnamon, butter and penne.

The lamb coloring in a Dutch oven. Keep the heat fairly high so it browns.

Butter, you know how to brighten up a pan.

After cooking the lamb and onions, TheRunawaySpoon has you strain the liquid (mostly fat) in the pot...

... then scrape the meat back in the pot before adding the wine.

Merrill gracefully -- but aggressively! -- salting the pasta water.

Merrill shows off her shortcut for sifting flour -- just stick a whisk in the container and swish it around a half dozen times.

Milk and butter await to make their entry in the bechamel ...

... while the butter and flour fuse in the pan.

Amanda stirs the tomato paste and herbs into lamb. Merrill whisks the milk into the bechamel. And there's an awful lot of cooking (and dish making) going on at that stove.

The lamb sauce -- you can see how concentrated and flecked with herbs it is.

Don't you want to dive in here?

Cayenne leaves its fiery trail.

We combine the sauce with the pasta.

Then fold in a little feta.

Then we chat a little -- that or Amanda is singing a show tune to Merrill.

Get back in there, noodle!

A blanket of creamy bechamel.

Had to include another shot. Mmm-mmm!