Step 1

Peel and finely dice the onion, carrot, celery and garlic.

Step 2

Fry in the olive oil over a medium heat with the bay leaves for at least 5 minutes with a lid on the pan to soften them.

Step 3

Add the minced meat to the sweated vegetables and break up with a spoon as it cooks over a high heat.

Step 4

Splash in the wine, milk, tinned tomatoes and then half fill the empty tin with water and add that too (200ml).

Step 5

Heat to a gentle simmer, then lower the temperature, put on a lid and cook very slowly for 3 hours, stirring occasionally and topping up with a little more water if it dries out.

Step 6

Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour to form a paste.

Step 7

Pour in the milk, a little at a time, stirring continually and only adding more milk when the last has been incorporated and you have a smooth sauce again.

Step 8

Bubble very gently for 2 minutes once all the milk is in, then season well with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg and stir in all 4 types of cheese.

Step 9

Wash the spinach, then add to a huge hot saucepan with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Step 10

Use tongs to keep the leaves moving until they have wilted right down.

Step 11

Drain into a colander and squeeze out excess water.

Step 12

Chop the courgette into a fairly small dice.

Step 13

Fry in a shot of olive oil in a hot frying pan with a pinch of salt and pepper to gain some good colour and soften.

Step 14

Toss the courgette and spinach together.Place a layer of the meat sauce into the base of a deep ovenproof dish.

Step 15

Cover with fresh pasta sheets, then pour over a layer of the cheese sauce before scattering over some of the spinach and courgette mixture.

Step 16

Repeat with more meat, pasta, white sauce and spinach 3 more times before finishing with cheese sauce and an extra grating of Parmesan.

Step 17

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden, a little crispy around the edges and piping hot throughout.

Step 18

Leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Step 19

Serves 6.