Sopranos-Style Sausage Minestrone - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices prosciutto, cut into julienne strips
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup red wine
1 (15 ounce) can crushed plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 ounces green beans, ends snapped, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 cup dried brown lentils or 1 cup split peas
1 head escarole or 1 head swiss chard, cut into 1-inch pieces
parmigiano-reggiano cheese, rind cut into 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
8 cups beef broth
2 cups cooked orzo

Preparation

Cook sausage in a big skillet over high heat, breaking up any large pieces, until it is no longer pink.
Transfer sausage to the insert of a 5-7 quart slow cooker.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet and add the olive oil.
Add in the prosciutto and saute for 2 minutes, until it begins to get crisp.
Add in onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and saute until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with the wine and boil until the wine is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Add in the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert; stir in the potatoes, beans, zucchini, lentils, escarole, cheese rind, and broth.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours, until the soup is thickened and the lentils are softened.