An Adaptable Minestrone

• 1 handful of parsley, both stalk and leaves, chopped finely
• 3 slices of pancetta or prosciutto, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 stalk of celery, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 small potato, peeled and sliced or diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 2 big handfuls of greens (cabbage, spinach, chard, or a mixture), rinsed and roughly chopped
• one 14-ounce (400-gram) tin borlotti beans, drained (or a handful of fresh borlotti beans, simmered until tender)
• Half of a 14-ounce (400-gram) tin of whole, peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped (or 2 or 3 fresh Roma tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup rice, farro, or small pasta such as risoni, stelline
• 4 cups (1 liter) vegetable stock
• salt and pepper
• grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
• toasted slices of bread for each bowl, for serving (optional)
• extra-virgin olive oil

1. Gently saute the chopped parsley, pancetta, and garlic in 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot for 1 minute. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and bay leaves and continue cooking until the onion begins to become translucent.
2. Add the rest of the vegetables, beans, tomato, and rice (or farro or pasta). Season with salt and pepper. Cover with stock, bring to the boil and place a lid on top and cook until the vegetables are tender. Check for seasoning.
3. Serve the minestrone with a piece of toasted bread in the bottom or on the side of the bowl, and sprinkle over grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Artusi likes to put the Parmesan directly into the pot at the end rather than serve it on top.

handful of parsley, pancetta, clove of garlic, onion, stalk of celery, carrot, bay leaves, potato, zucchini, cabbage, borlotti beans, tomatoes, rice, liter, salt, parmesan cheese, bread, extravirgin olive oil

Taken from food52.com/recipes/44761-an-adaptable-minestrone (may not work)