Heat half of the olive oil in a flameproof oven dish or ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the crushed garlic for about 2 minutes until fragrant.

Stir in the oregano, caster sugar, and chopped basil, followed by the chopped tomatoes. Rinse the tomato cans with a splash of water and pour that into the pan.

Bring to a simmer and allow it to bubble for 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season to taste.

In a large bowl, combine the dried breadcrumbs and milk, setting aside for 5 minutes to absorb.

Mix in the beef mince, onion, crushed garlic, egg, mixed herbs, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Shape this mixture into about 20 meatballs, roughly the size of golf balls.

Heat the remaining oil in another frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown them all over. They don’t need to be cooked through.

Preheat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

In a baking dish, place half of the prepared tomato sauce as a base, layer the garlic bread slices and meatballs, then drizzle more sauce over the top.

Add the mozzarella pieces scattered across and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of pepper.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until everything is golden and bubbling. Add whole basil leaves over the top before serving.