New Year's good luck pasta fazool (pasta e fagioli with bacon and Swiss chard)

Put sliced bacon in a cold soup pot over medium heat and cook, stirring, until most of the fat renders and the bacon starts to crisp ('once your bacon starts to look foamy, it's almost done').

Soak up excess fat with a wadded paper towel held in tongs, leaving a tablespoon or two.

Add onions, celery and a big pinch of salt; saute 6 or 7 minutes until softened and translucent.

Add black pepper, cayenne, dry thyme, dry oregano and a couple tablespoons of tomato paste; cook about two minutes so the paste toasts on the bottom.

Add minced garlic and saute a minute or two.

Add a quart of chicken broth and a cup of water; bring to a simmer on high, then simmer on medium.

Strip the chard leaves from the stems, slice across both ways into small pieces, and wash in a bowl of water, lifting the greens out so the sand stays behind.

Stir in the greens and simmer about 10 minutes until tender (longer for kale or collards); add a big pinch of salt.

Add a can of drained cannellini beans and bring to a boil on high.

Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes until tender; taste for salt.

Ladle out, thinning with broth or water if too thick; garnish with grated Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of red pepper flake.