Zuppa Toscana (Hearty creamy soup with sausage)

Slice 350 g potatoes no thinner than 0.5 cm so the pieces retain their shape as the soup simmers. Finely chop 120 g onion, mince 3 garlic cloves, and cut 120 g kale into bite-size pieces after removing any tough stem sections. Heat a pot over medium heat and add 300 g Italian sausage, breaking it into small crumbles with a spatula. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the meat is browned and its fat has collected in the pot, then lift out the sausage while leaving the fat behind. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes. Once it is translucent, stir in the garlic for only 30 seconds, stopping before it scorches. Add the potatoes and 900 ml chicken stock and scrape the browned layer from the bottom into the broth. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 12 minutes. The potatoes should be just tender while still holding their slices. Return the browned sausage and press the kale down into the broth, then simmer for 3 minutes more, until the leaves soften and darken. Reduce the heat to low before adding 180 ml heavy cream and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper. Warm for 2 minutes with only a gentle movement around the edge of the pot. A hard boil can separate the cream, so adjust the seasoning and serve once the soup is hot and evenly combined.