| 8 | ounces of sun-dried tomatoes with their oil |
| 1 | cup of imported black olives, pitted and halved (I prefer green) |
| 1 | cup fresh basil leaves, slivered |
| 1/4 | cup or less grated lemon or lime zest |
| 1/2 | cup lemon or lime juice |
| coarsely ground black pepper | |
| 1/2 | cup olive oil |
| 4 | garlic cloves, finely minced |
| 1/2 | lb of Gorgonzola or goat cheese coarsely shredded, bel paese and brie work well also |
combine the tomatoes, oil from the tomatoes, olives, basil, lemon zest, garlic, pepper, lemon juice, cheese and regular olive oil in a large serving bowl, cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 20-30 minutes. This is heaven if let to stand for 3-4 hours.
bring a large pan to boil. add penne or ziti and cook until tender. drain pasta and immediately toss with the sauce. serve at once.