Blend or pound the sun-dried tomatoes, their oil, almonds, pine nuts, garlic, and basil. Stop when the mix looks slightly coarse—not too smooth. Stir in the grated cheese and taste. Add salt only if needed.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt it generously. Add the pasta and cook until about 2 minutes before the time on the package. Save about 150 ml of the cooking water before draining.

Put the pesto back into the warm pot. Add a small splash of reserved cooking water and stir. Add the undercooked pasta, toss well, then finish cooking together over low heat for 2 minutes. Add water a spoon at a time until the sauce becomes glossy and clings to the noodles.

Turn off the heat. Stir in more cheese if you like and taste for salt. Add a grind of black pepper and a few torn basil leaves. Serve immediately while glossy and warm.