Minestrone

Name: Minestrone
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1/2 pound (about 1 1/4 cups) dried white beans such as Great Northern, picked over and rinsed; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 pound pancetta (Italian cured pork belly, available at Italian markets and specialty foods shops) or sliced lean bacon, chopped; 1/3 cup olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice; 1 rib of celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice; 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine; 2 zucchini, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice; 1/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1/2 pound boiling potatoes; 4 cups shredded green cabbage (preferably Savoy); 1/2 pound kale, rinsed, drained, stems discarded, and the leaves chopped (about 6 cups); a 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped coarse and drained well; 4 1/2 cups chicken broth (preferably low-salt); freshly grated Parmesan, garlic bruschetta , and dry-cured sausages as accompaniments