I made another attempt to recreate an Italian classic with orecchiette and broccoli 🥦 . It was supremely uninteresting, a masterpiece of mediocrity! The broccoli was too firm. The dish did not have the garlicky kick that I desired, more like a gentle meow than a powerful ROAR. However, it was not a complete flop, I will view this setback as a victory in disguise, at least I got in my share of cruciferous vegetables for the week. A virtuous silver lining in a pasta debacle.

It can be quite frustating when my culinary experiments fall short of my expectations. However this is very much part and parcel learning and as Elizabeth Day would say, this is ‘data acquisition’.

I think next time I would definitely need to rethink how long and how I am cooking the broccoli. I am a person that does prefer a soft, grainy texture – I think it would be better if I steamed or boiled the broccoli, an silly oversight on my part. On reflection, I also think it was a bit of a rush job! I would also need to work out how to enhance the garlic taste. I’m a big fan of garlic, so if it is in a dish, I need it to be obvious, not hiding in the shadows. And lastly, there is always room for more cheese, always.