Heat your largest soup pot over medium/high heat and add the olive oil. Add the sausage meat to the pan and break up with a wooden spoon. Allow it to cook until it is no longer pink, stirring and breaking up as needed, about 15 minutes or so

While the sausage cooks, chop the onions carrots and garlic. Set aside.

When the sausage is cooked, remove it to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but a smidge of the oil and return the pot to the stove. Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the pot with a pinch of salt, cover and sweat for 2-3 minutes then cook uncovered until slightly softened and fragrant. Add half of the Italian seasoning and let cook for a minute or so.

Return the sausage to the pot and add the tomatoes. Add 1 quart of the stock and the cheese rinds. Begin to add the chopped cabbage. This will seem like a ridiculous amount, but it will shrink as it cooks. Add more stock as needed to allow for stirring in the cabbage. Cover the pot and simmer until the cabbage is soft. 20-40 minutes depending...

Once the cabbage is soft, add as much stock as needed to make it a soup (2 quarts may not be enough.) Add the remaining Italian seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer for a few more minutes until it is steaming hot.

Serve with grated cheese, pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning to pass at the table.