- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1½ cups chopped onions
- 1½ cups chopped leek
- ½ cup chopped carrot
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ cup chopped country ham (about 1 ounce) I used honey cured ham
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup uncooked spelt (farro), rinsed and drained
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper I probably had closer to ½ teaspoon
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth I use Shelton's for this. They have ¼ the sodium of the other less-sodium brands, which claim to have 33% of the sodium of regular chicken broth.
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 thyme sprig I used 2
- 2 cups chopped beet greens I am not fond of beet greens, so I substituted chopped spinach
- 2 (16 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained I used only one. I think this improved the flavor
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained Muir Glen
- ¼ cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, leek, and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add ham; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in water and next 7 ingredients (water through thyme); bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce hear, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add greens, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, and garnish each serving with cheese. Yield: 8 servings.