We once took a cooking lesson with the father of the hotel manager where we were staying  in Taormina, Sicily. First we went shopping for the ingredients in the outdoor markets. Everyone seemed to know Aurelio and we were hailed by many passers-by. Stopping for an espresso was also part of the experience. It was all so laid back and grand. He had a tiny kitchen which his wife and he puttered around while we mostly watched. The ingredients were few and the cooking methods simple and straightforward. Our dinner tonight was pretty much the same way.

We boiled some salted water. We put orecchiette in and cooked the broccoli with it for the last couple of minutes. After draining we added the canned tuna, a little olive oil, and about 3/4 cup of reserved pasta water to the broccoli and pasta. We stirred the whole thing together over medium heat. The dish was finished with a little more olive oil and black pepper. Simple techniques, easy cleanup, and a really great dinner that brought back a very fond memory.

Orecchiette with tuna and broccoli