Start with the marinara. It's super simple, but takes the longest to develop flavour. Begin by adding a splash of olive oil to a medium pot on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic cloves and cook gently until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and chili flakes and cook another 5 minutes, until the tomato paste deepens in colour.

Add the canned tomatoes, including the liquid. Crush the tomatoes in your hand as you drop them into the pot. Add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper and bring the sauce to a simmer. Drop the heat to low to continue cooking until ready to assemble. Be sure to stir occasionally so the sauce doesn't burn at the bottom of the pot.

Work on the meat filling next. Add a small splash of veg oil to a large pan on medium-high heat, then crumble in the beef. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break it up as it browns. The meat may give off water; don't worry about it, it'll be reabsorbed. Once the meat's no longer pink, add the onion and garlic. Keep frying until the meat is nicely browned, the onion and garlic are soft, and there's no more liquid in the pan, about 15 minutes.

Pour in the wine and season with a couple of pinches of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook until the wine is absorbed, then take the pan off the heat to cool. To speed things up, you can spread the meat out on a baking tray.

Put a large pot of salted water on high heat. Once boiling, drop in the manicotti. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes, until the tubes are soft and pliable but shy of fully cooked. Fish the tubes out with a slotted spoon and spread them onto a baking tray which has been lightly greased with olive oil. Leave until they're cool enough to handle.

Once close to room temperature, transfer the beef filling to a mixing bowl. Add the mozzarella and parmesan cheese as well as the basil. Mix with your hands until blended. Give it a taste and add extra seasoning as required.

Preheat your oven to 375 F. Spread half the marinara over the bottom of a large casserole dish. Fill the pasta tubes with the meat filling and lay them in a single layer in the dish. If you have extra filling, just spread it in and around the tubes. Top with the remaining sauce, then sprinkle on the cheeses. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving with a garnish of torn fresh basil.