*Rosa would use dried beans. But if you don’t want to do that, cans will work here. Personally, I like navy beans rather than cannellini. But this is not my recipe.

^Sorry, no measurements. You think Rosa’s grandmother in the old country had time for measuring spoons? Please.

**Yes, dried is fine if you don’t have fresh (and Rosa wouldn’t have, much of the year—Brooklyn did not have a Whole Foods in the 1920s). If using dried, stir in with the oregano, chili flakes, and bay leaf.

^^Yes, of course you can substitute a different shape of pasta here. But it will not be as good as ditalini in this soup. You’ve been warned.

Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion, and sauté for about 15 minutes on medium-low heat, until onion is glistening and golden brown. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add potatoes and carrots and sauté for a few more minutes, until they both have just begun to soften and maybe take on a little color. Add some salt (salt as you go! A little now, a little later) and dried spices. Add chicken stock, stirring to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add Parmesan rind whole. Bring soup to a simmer. Salt it again. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes—depending on your stove and how big you cut the carrots and potatoes. While it simmers, think about your first kiss, or the place you’re from, or the person who loved you the most. Love the soup, too. Stir the soup a little. Slap someone’s hand away and say, “Get out of my kitchen until I call you!” When carrots and potatoes are nearly cooked, add beans, tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, and celery. Simmer for 10 minutes. During this time, taste for salt—add some if needed. Add more dried spices if needed. Soup is a living thing, a work of art. Ask it what it needs. Just before adding the pasta, scoop out the Parmesan rind, and bay leaf. Add the pasta and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Take soup off heat and stir in basil and parsley. Serve to people you love.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Naomi Krupitsky was born in Berkeley, California, and attended NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. She lives in San Francisco, but calls many places home. The Family is her first novel.

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