Place sun-dried tomato strips (1 cup), almonds (½ cup), parmesan (50g), garlic (1-2 cloves, cores removed) and basil (½ cup - firmly packed) into a food processor.
Process until finely chopped, then add ¼ cup of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil (making up the difference with olive oil if needed) and continue to process until the desired consistency, adding more oil as needed.
Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Store pesto in an airtight container in the fridge with a layer of oil on top to keep it fresh.
Notes
Some recipes call for grated parmesan in pesto but I like to use a block of fresh parmesan and just cut off a chunk and toss it in and process - grated parmesan! Plus there is no additives you sometimes find in pre-grated, packaged cheese.
Don't throw away the oil that the sun-dried tomatoes is packed in when you drain them. We use this oil later in the red pesto for a double duty flavour hit. If you don't have enough of the tomato oil you can top it up with olive oil.
I remove the core or "germ" in the center of each garlic clove before using them for this recipe. This will give you a more mellow, smooth tasting garlic flavour in your pesto.
*Please note that the amount of calories per serve is provided as a guide only, as ingredients and cooking methods can vary greatly*