This recipe makes 6 good sized portions of ragu. Halve the recipe if you want to make less, but I find it’s just as easy to make lots so I put the excess in the freezer and have a ready meal another day. To save time you can chop the vegetables in a food processor but take care with onions and peppers as they quickly turn to mush.

1 Fry the mince in three batches, each in 1 teaspoon of oil, until the meat has turned from pink to brown and the juices start to be released. Return all the meat back to the pan.

2 Add the remaining ingredients (except the salt and pepper) and stir to combine.

3 Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, cover loosely and simmer on a low heat for 1 1/2hours or slow cook for 6-8 hours.

4 Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove the bay leaves and serve tossed through spaghetti.