Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, and a pinch of salt, and sauté for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the beef and pork mince and cook, breaking it up, for 8 minutes.

Remove the lid, stir well, and check and adjust the seasoning. Add the beef stock or water, mix well, and cook uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

To make an onion cloute, take ½ a brown onion and pin the bay leaves onto it using the whole cloves as pins.

Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the onion cloute, and place over medium heat until the milk is lukewarm. Remove from the heat and remove the cloute — this can be saved and used in a stock.

Melt the butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat, then add the flour. Mix well to form a roux and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.

Add two ladles of the warm milk to the roux, mixing until fully incorporated before adding more. Repeat until all the milk has been added. Once smooth, remove from the heat. Grate in the Parmesan, season to taste, and mix through until melted.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a large baking dish with butter or oil (a 30cm x 20cm dish is recommended).

Spoon 1–2 ladles of meat sauce into the bottom of the dish and spread evenly. Cover with a layer of lasagne sheets, without letting them overlap much. Pour over one ladle of bechamel and spread to cover the sheets entirely. Sprinkle over a little grated mozzarella and provolone. Repeat the process — meat sauce, lasagne sheets, bechamel, and a scattering of mozzarella and provolone — finishing with a layer of bechamel on top.

Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 25–30 minutes. Remove the foil and grate over enough Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano to cover the top. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Serve on plates or in bowls with salad and garlic bread, or on its own. Garnish with basil. Dig in.