Preparation:
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 1/2 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 |
