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to soften it. Add the milk in increments, whisking constantly to make a smooth white sauce. Melt the grated Parmesan into it and turn off the heat.
    Line the slow-cooker crock with some reusable baking liner and start making the lasagne by layering about half the ragu into it. Put three sheets of lasagne on top of it, using the rounded ones at the edges.
    Pour half the white sauce on top of the lasagne sheets and arrange a second layer of the pasta on top of it. Cover these with the rest of the ragu and arrange the third layer of lasagne on top of that. Finish with white sauce.
    Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook the lasagne on low for 3 hours. The white sauce on top will look like it is drying out slightly, but don’t worry. It is just baking beautifully. About 90 minutes before you are ready to eat, scatter the mozzarella over the top of the lasagne and replace the lid.
    Cook for another hour and then turn off the heat and allow it all to sit for 30 minutes. This makes it easier to cut and serve and the lasagne tastes better when not served radioactively hot. Eat in slices with salad and/or chips and a cheeky glass of red wine.

BEEF MEATBALLS
    Meatballs are such a favourite of mine that they deserve several recipes in this book. These are a classic Italian-style beef meatball, perfect for cooking in a tomato sauce to make that Italian-American classic, spaghetti and meatballs, or putting into a wrap or sub for a seriously special lunch. I also use them for the Bunnychow here and if I know I’m using them for that, I omit the Parmesan and oregano. These are really versatile, but I could honestly just eat a huge plateful as they are because they are so light and tasty.
    SERVES 2–4 (THEY FREEZE WELL UNCOOKED)
    2 slices of bread (white or brown) or 80g breadcrumbs (not golden)
    75ml milk
    500g beef mince, not too lean, chilled
    1 medium onion, finely diced
    2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    50g Parmesan, grated (optional)
    1 teaspoon tomato purée
    1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes
    1 × 400g tin plum tomatoes
    ½ teaspoon sugar
    50ml white wine or vermouth
    50ml water
    salt and pepper
    Remove the crusts from the bread and then soak the bread in the milk for about 10 minutes. This works best with stale bread. If using breadcrumbs, soak them too. Make sure you don’t use ‘golden’ breadcrumbs, which are very oily. Either use packaged white ones or make your own from stale bread and freeze until needed.
    Squeeze out any excess moisture from the bread and place it into a large bowl together with the chilled minced beef, the chopped onion and garlic, dried oregano, Parmesan, if using, and salt and pepper. Add the tomato purée. Mix well with your hands to combine everything, but don’t overmix.
    Add the beaten egg half at a time, mixing it all in well with your hands to break down the meat.
    Wet your hands slightly and then pinch off small portions of the meat mix and roll into balls about the size of an unshelled walnut. Put each one on a plate as you go. If the meat gets sticky, pop it back in the fridge for 5 minutes and then start rolling again once chilled.
    Chill the meatballs for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Set them into the slow cooker in one layer. It doesn’t matter if they are touching slightly. Mix the two cans of tomatoes together, breaking the plum tomatoes up slightly. Season well and add the sugar to stop any acidity. Add the wine or vermouth and the water so that the meatballs are submerged.
    Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook the meatballs on low for 7–8 hours. The sauce will thicken and all the flavours will combine. Serve warm, but not piping hot, over pasta or gnocchi.

MEATLOAF
    A staple way to feed a family inexpensively in America, the humble meatloaf hasn’t had its heyday in the UK yet and I just don’t know why. It’s easy, economical and utterly delicious. Plus, it reminds me of my very first job working in a fifties-style American diner, where it