Tuscan Cannellini Bean and Farro Soup

•1 lb dried Cannellini, or white navy beans
•2 onions, coarsely chopped
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
•5 cups chicken broth, plus more to thin
•1 qt water
•1 (3- by 2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (if possible)
•2 teaspoons salt
•½ teaspoon black pepper
•1 bay leaf
•1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
•8 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
•1 lb kale (preferably lacinto, or dinosaur kale), stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
•1 cup whole-grain farro (can be omitted if impossible to find or use pearled barley)
•6 sage leaves
•1 smoked ham hock

Cover beans and ham hock with water by 2 inches in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, 1 hour. Drain beans in a colander and rinse. Save the ham hock for later.

Cook onions in oil in an 8-quar t pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beans, broth, 1 quar t water, ham hock, cheese rind, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and rosemary and simmer, uncovered, until beans are just tender, about 50 minutes. Remove ham hock and shred the meat and reserve.

With an immersion blender, pulse the soup 4 or 5 times to par tially puree the beans, making sure to leave some beans whole. Add the faro and simmer for 30 minutes.

Stir in the carrots, ham hock meat, and kale into the soup, add some more chicken broth if soup is too thick and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes until carrots are tender. Season, if needed with salt and pepper.

In sauté pan, heat some olive oil and fry sage leaves until crispy. Serve soup in 6 bowls, drizzle some high quality olive oil over soup and garnish each bowl with a sage leaf.