Minestrone

Name: Minestrone
Cuisine: European, Italian, Mediterranean
Ingredients: ¼ cup olive oil; 2 small onions, small diced; 2 carrots, small diced; 2 sticks of celery, small diced; 1 potato, small diced; 1 zucchini, small diced; 3 cloves of garlic, minced; 2 bay leaves; 4 cups (2 large handfuls) of seasonal greens, such as savoy cabbage, curly kale, chard; ½ cup parsley leaves; 1 - 28 oz can of quality whole plum tomatoes; 2 - 14 oz cans of cannellini beans; 2 cups dried pasta, ditalini if possible; Black pepper and/or red pepper flakes; Kosher salt; Parmesan cheese, to serve; extra virgin olive oil, to serve; ½ cup basil leaves, torn, to serve (optional)