Zuppa Toscana

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb Lovera's Hot Italian-Style Sausage (casings removed)
• 4 oz Volpi Pancetta (about 4 slices), diced into small pieces*
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
• 3 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 lbs Russet potatoes , scrubbed and rinsed then sliced into halves, halves diced into 1/6-inch slices
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds , slightly crushed
• Fior di Sale "Salt Flowers"  and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 1/2 cups packed chopped kale
• Shaved  Locatelli Pecorino Romano cheese for serving

Preparation:

1. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Crumble sausage into 1-inch pieces and add to saucepan.
3. Cook sausage, stirring occasionally until cooked through.
4. Drain sausage onto a plate or baking dish lined with paper towels, set sausage aside.
5. Add diced bacon to saucepan, return to heat and sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add diced onions to bacon in saucepan and sauté mixture until bacon is cooked through and onions are translucent, about 3 - 5 minutes longer.
7. Add chicken broth, water, sliced potatoes, sugar, fennel seeds, salt and pepper.
8. Bring soup just to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and stir in cooked sausage.
9. Cover saucepan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are nearly tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.
10. Add in kale then simmer until potatoes are soft and kale is tender, about 5 - 10 minutes longer. Stir in half and half and warm through.
11. Use a spoon or ladle to remove excess fat from top of soup if desired. Serve warm topped with Romano cheese.