Spicy Minestrone with Sausage

Cut sausage into pieces. Chop onion and mince garlic. Dice potato and bell pepper. Chop tomatoes: reserve juice. Cut zucchini in quarters lenghwise and then slice. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook sausage until brown, about 10 minutes and drain on paper towel. Discard all but 1 Tbs fat. Add onion, garlic, potato and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with their liquid, herbs, spices, pepper flakes, stock and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in kidney beans with their liquid, zucchini and pasta and simmer until pasta is tender about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve with Parmesan cheese.