The base of this soup is a classic mirepoix, ie onion, celery stick and carrot. Most people have onions and carrots in the house, but not celery sticks – it goes perfectly well without them. Put olive oil in a saucepan, and add coarsely chopped onion, celery (if using) and carrot with a pinch of salt. Let it simmer while you finely chop the garlic, and have it over when the onion is tender.
Now you have a perfect base for most vegetables. I use a whole squash, but you can also use broccoli and cauliflower in small bouquets, eggplant, sweet potato, root vegetables, leeks, spinach and kale (in which case you have it towards the end of the cooking time). Everything goes!
Cut the vegetables you are going to use into suitably large cubes, and keep them in the pot together with the chili flakes. Remember that hard vegetables need longer cooking time than soft vegetables. Let them simmer for a few minutes before you have over a box of tomato (remember to rinse it out with a little water, so you get everything), vegetable broth, and beans. I use butter beans, but all kinds of beans go well, use what you have! Add sugar, a pinch of salt and a few coarse rounds of pepper, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Then add the small pasta, and cook the soup until the pasta is al dente. Put the pot on the table, and feel free to eat it with bread or rolls. The soup can be frozen well, but then you do not have it in pasta before freezing.