Bow ties with white beans~ arugula & sun-dr

4 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
¼poundsDried cannellini or Great
Northern beans -- about 1/2
Cup
3Cloves garlic, 1 left whole,
2Minced
1teaspoonDried thyme
2Bay leaves
teaspoonSalt
3tablespoonsOlive oil
1Onion -- chopped
2Sun-dried tomatoes --
Chopped
¼teaspoonRed pepper flakes
¾poundsBow ties
¾poundsArugula, stems removed --
Chopped
¼cupGrated Parmesan cheese
1tablespoonRed-wine vinegar

Directions

In a medium saucepan, soak the beans overnight in plenty of water. Or cover the beans with water. Bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour.

Drain the beans. Return them to the saucepan and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Add the whole garlic clove, the thyme and bay leaves. Simmer the beans, partially covered, until almost tender, about 1 hour. Add ½ teaspoon of the salt and cook the beans until tender, about 15 minutes longer. Drain. Discard the garlic clove and bay leaves.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the minced garlic and the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, sun-dried tomatoes, red-pepper flakes and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until the beans and tomatoes are heated through, about 2 minutes.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the bow ties until just done, about 15 minutes. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the pasta water. Drain the bow ties and return them to the hot pot. Add the bean mixture, pasta water, arugula, Parmesan and vinegar and toss.

Beans and Salt: Salt and acidic ingredients, such as tomatos and vinegar, make it difficult for dried beans to absorb liquid. This means that dried beans must always be cooked until soft in unseasoned water. Otherwise, they remain tough. But don't forget the salt completely. When the beans are almost done, season them for optimum flavor.

Recipe By : Food & Wine

From: Hp_walls@... Date: Mon, 15 Jul 1996 14:00:51 ~0400 (