Orzo with Lemon & Parsley

1 pkg orzo pasta
2-3 Tbsp butter
Zest & Juice of 1 lemon*
1 bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley, roughly chopped smallish [approx. 3/4 cup]
Parmesan cheese [approx. 1 cup]
salt & pepper

1. Fill your med-large pot for boiling the orzo with about 3-4 inches space left from the top of the pot... bring that to a rolling boil on high heat.
Add a silver-dollar size palm-full of sea salt [You will not end up with a salty pasta - this is the opportunity to season the pasta. You can also use any pasta you like for this if you are unable to find orzo. Orecchiette is GREAT - and here's what it looks like.]

2. Add your pasta to the boiling, salted water. Stir to unstick any pieces that may have clumped together. 7 minutes is usually the magic number, but check after about 4. By "check" I mean eat some of it. It should have a "stick" to your tooth feel, but not a real firmness left. You don't want it to be cooked further than this "al dente" point as it can still absorb what else we're adding - which makes for a much tastier pasta.

*tip* Chop your parsley while your pasta boils.

3. Drain your pasta - save a bit of pasta water in a little measuring cup prior to draining or quickly return the pasta to the pot while it's still drippy. Return the pot to hot [turned off] burner.
Add about 2-3 Tbsp butter. You can sub extra virgin olive oil if you like. Or half and half - butter & olive oil - not literal cream half and half.

4. Zest your lemon directly into the pasta. *When zesting your lemon - gently, but firmly pass the lemon over your fine grater or microplane, but do not pass over the same spot on the lemon twice. You only want the yellow part. The white is bitter. Then half the lemon and add the juice.

You can add pepper if you want to at this point. And incorporate these things as you go.

5. Add chopped parsley and grated Parm cheese. If you are unable to find parmigiano reggiano - you can use regular from the store, but NOT the kind you'd sprinkle on pizza at the pizza joint. That may not even qualify as Parmesan cheese.

If this gets sticky, you can add a little bit of pasta water to thin - like... 1/2 - 1 cup? It helps thin but the pasta water retains the pasta's starch, so you aren't making things runny, just smoothy. Great trick.