In a heavy bottomed pan or casserole prepare a soffritto, by sautéing the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until they are soft and translucent. Add in the beef and fry until it is starting to brown.

Add in the two cans of Cirio chopped tomatoes, rinse each can with a splash of water and add to the pot. Stir well and add a smidgen of seasoning. Reduce the heat right down (I stand my pot on a diffuser on the smallest gas ring on the lowest setting) and leave, with the lid slightly ajar for about 90 minutes to gently cook – you want it to barely simmer – stirring every 10 minutes or so – until the beef is tender and falling apart.

I find that the ragu is best left to cool then refrigerated over night before eating. I freeze my ragu in individual portions in my silicon muffin pan.

To serve quickly reheat a large spoon of ragu per person in a small pan whilst your pasta is cooking, if needed, add a little of the pasta water to loosen the sauce. I like to add a knob of butter – which is an indulgence and really not necessary. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and return to the pan, pour the ragu over, gently toss and serve immediately with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan, a twist of pepper and a sprig of fresh basil.