Heat the oven to 400°F. Set a 10-inch oven-safe skillet on the stove so it is ready for the filling.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and warm it over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion and chopped celery to the skillet. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are soft and the onion looks glossy.

Add the garlic to the skillet. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, just until it smells fragrant.

Stir the tomato paste into the skillet. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until it darkens a little and coats the vegetables.

Pour the diced tomatoes and their juices plus the broth into the skillet. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Add the black-eyed peas to the skillet. Stir them into the sauce.

Let the bean mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Stir once or twice, until the sauce looks slightly thicker.

Add the spinach to the skillet a few handfuls at a time. Stir after each addition until the leaves wilt into the sauce.

Season the filling with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and several grinds of black pepper. Turn off the heat.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheddar over the bean mixture in the skillet.

Arrange the separated biscuits over the filling, leaving a little space between them so heat can move around each one.