Prosciutto Soup

Directions

1. 1
   Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a pot or kettle.
2. 2
   Put 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the bottom of a saucepan and turn the heat to medium.
3. 3
   Chop the prosciutto (remove the fat if you must, but remember that it has flavor) into 1/4-inch or smaller cubes and add to the oil.
4. 4
   Brown, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, while you prepare the garlic, onion, and greens.
5. 5
   Peel the garlic and chop it roughly or leave it whole.
6. 6
   Peel and chop the onion.
7. 7
   Wash and chop the greens into bite-sized pieces.
8. 8
   When the prosciutto has browned, add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to color, about 2 minutes.
9. 9
   Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes translucent, 2 or 3 minutes.
10. 10
    Add the greens and stir, then add the boiling water.
11. 11
    (You can prepare the dish in advance up to this point.
12. 12
    Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, then reheat before proceeding.)
13. 13
    Stir in the pasta and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper; adjust the heat so the mixture simmers.
14. 14
    When the pasta is done, taste and adjust the seasoning.
15. 15
    Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve.
16. 16
    The basic recipe, though delicious, is on the meager side, the kind of soup people make when times are hard or no ones been shopping lately: a small piece of meat, some common vegetables, a little pasta.
17. 17
    But you can make it as elaborate as you like and even convert it to a stew by doubling the amount of meat, vegetables, and pasta.
18. 18
    The chopping time will be extended slightly, but the cooking time will remain more or less the same.
19. 19
    Add more root vegetables, like thinly sliced carrots or chopped celery, or diced potatoes or turnips.
20. 20
    Vary the greens: Shredded cabbage is perfect for this soup and will cook as quickly as kale.
21. 21
    Collard, mustard, and turnip greens are also appropriate.
22. 22
    Some peas and/or corn will work nicely, too, even if they come from the freezer.
23. 23
    Use any starch you like in place of the pasta: Rice and barley, each of which take a few minutes longer than pasta, are good choices.
24. 24
    Add tomatoes, either fresh, canned, or paste, for color and flavor.
25. 25
    To use tomato paste, just stir a couple of tablespoons into the sauteing vegetables before adding the water.
26. 26
    Tomatoes should be added with the onions so they have time to break up.
27. 27
    Leftovers are great, like a bit of chopped chicken or some vegetables from a previous meal (rinse them with boiling water if they were sauced).
28. 28
    Consider the chopped-up rind of hard cheese, like Parmesan, which will not only soften enough to become edible during cooking but will add great flavor to the soup.