Foodie Fridays: Spanish Pasta and Cheese

This recipe is based upon one that I found in the January issue of Family Circle magazine.  It is similar to a recipe I posted recently, but is even easier and just as tasty.  I substituted farfalle for macaroni just because it was what I had on hand.  I also used less pasta and added peas to the original recipe.  I used a different type of chorizo sausage as well (an uncooked variety in a plastic casing).  The package I bought weighed one pound and contained four links, so I only needed one link.  Even though my jar of olives was almost empty and contained mostly pimiento pieces instead of olives, they tasted just fine in this dish.  I still had Manchego cheese left over from a Christmas gift and used it all in this recipe.  I probably added a little more than the recipe calls for (okay, it was probably a lot more than called for) but it did not adversely affect the result and may have made it even better!  Our Manchego was the aged variety, which is very hard like Parmesan cheese, so I whirled it in a food processor instead of grating it.  This is much faster and easier (although noisier, especially since one of our dogs hates the sound of the processor and barks the whole time it is running).  Now I almost wish we had more Manchego cheese left over, just so I could make this recipe again!

Spanish Pasta and Cheese

12 oz. farfalle pasta
8 oz. frozen peas
1 T. olive oil
4 oz. chorizo sausage link
1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 C. reduced-fat milk
8 oz. Manchego cheese, grated
1/2 C. sliced pimiento-stuffed olives

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Place the peas in a colander, then drain the pasta over the peas.  Return the pasta to the pot.  Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat.  Squeeze the chorizo out of its plastic casing into the oil and cook for several minutes.  Add the poblano pepper and cook for three minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Add the butter, then whisk in the flour when the butter is melted.  Cook, stirring, for two minutes.  Gradually whisk in the milk, cooking and stirring until thickened.  Remove skillet from heat and stir in the cheese until smooth.  Add the olives to the pasta, then stir in the cheese sauce.  Serves 8.