This hearty Italian soup is packed with flavor from sausage, escarole, and beans. It's perfect for a cold winter day. Yield: 8 servings Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 1 hour Ingredients: 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, prosciutto ends, sopressata, or pepperoni 4 quarts chicken stock 6 garlic cloves, minced Black pepper 1 pound dry white beans, rinsed and drained 2 heads escarole, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups) 1/4 teaspoon oregano 3-4 fresh basil leaves Pinch red pepper flakes (optional) 1 bay leaf (optional) Salt Freshly grated Romano cheese Garlic bread, for dipping (optional) Instructions: Brown the sausage in a large soup pot. Remove the sausage from the pot and slice it into rounds or cubes. Set aside. Add the chicken stock, garlic, and several grindings of black pepper to the soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the beans, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf (...