Pasta with Roasted Pepper–Manchego Pesto

The idea for this pesto came from Spanish romesco, a heady sauce that counts nuts, olive oil, smoked paprika and dried ñora chilies among its ingredients. In keeping with the Spanish theme, we use Manchego cheese, a semi-hard aged sheep’s-milk cheese with grassy notes, a subtle piquancy and a salty-savory finish. A generous dose of oregano adds bold herbal flavor and freshness.