Recently, I made minestrone from a special diet cookbook. This was a first for me and, after making it, I cannot understand why. I sent that soup home with its intended eaters and immediately decided to make a large batch for myself for the week. This made a ton of food (I froze half) and was healthful and satisfying. Feel free to adjust depending on what you have to use up, after all the soup is designed to use up everything in season in an Italian’s kitchen. I wanted to use whole wheat Gemelli, but had regular Penne on hand so that was what went in. Feel free to use your favorite pasta, rice, grain or even gnocchi.

Spicy Veggie and Chicken Minestrone

serves 8-10

One Frozen Parmesan Cheese Rind
One-half pound pasta of choice
Three cups shredded chicken
One bunch Swiss Chard or Kale, washed, stemmed and cut into strips
Two Cups Zucchini, diced
Two cups Yellow Squash, diced
Three Cups Onion, diced
Two Cups Celery, roughly diced
Two Cups Carrot, peeled and roughly diced
One head garlic, minced
Four tablespoons crush red pepper
Two tablespoons each: oregano, fennel seed, black pepper, thyme (use more or less according to taste preference)
One Ham Hock
One can kidney or cannellini beans
Two quarts good quality chicken stock
Two boxes of crushed tomatoes with juice
Two cups frozen peas

Heat about two tablespoons olive oil in a large dutch oven. Once hot, add onions and garlic and saute until glassy (with a good pinch of salt). Add celery, zucchini, carrots, squash, crushed red pepper, and all spices cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add ham hock, Parmesan rind, tomatoes and broth (adding additional broth as necessary). Simmer for about an hour, then add chard , peas, shredded chicken, cooked pasta, and beans. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Simmer another 10 minutes or so and serve with crusty bread and a sprinkling of Pecorino or Parmesan cheese.