WHAT TO HAVE FOR DINNER TONIGHT

Today, I found one of those packs of marinated green olives and manchego cheese in the reduced section of the shop. I decided to base my meal around it (because I couldn’t think what to make tonight!) and came up with the idea of a Spanish flavoured pasta dish.

The flavours are punchy and bright; just what you need on a miserable, cold, November day. It has the added benefit of being ready in 15 minutes, meaning it can warm you up almost as soon as you walk through the door.

You could also use a normal jar of green olives if you can’t find any of the marinated ones in the bargain bin of your local shop.

This will serve 4.

Chorizo, Tomato and Olive Pasta

400g fresh penne pasta

125g chorizo

220g cherry tomatoes

150g marinated green olives and manchego cheese

1 small glass red wine

Large handful chopped parsley

1. Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted water, then drain.

2. Dice the chorizo s finely as you can and cook in a large saute pan over a medium heat and cook until golden and crisp.

3. Prick a small hole in each of the cherry tomatoes with a knife and add to the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes until they are starting to soften, then crush each one gently wih your wooden spoon.

4. Add the olives to the pan (leave the manchego cheese to one side for now) then tip in the red wine. Allow to boil down, then add 150ml water.

5. Stir in the cooked pasta, chopped parsley and manchego cheese. Enjoy!