Method

Using a potato peeler, remove strips of zest from top to the bottom of the lemon (half a strip per portion), thinly slice each strip lengthwise into thin strips, blanch in hot salted water for 30 seconds then drain set aside as a garnish, grate remaining zest into a pan large enough to take the pasta at a latter date.

Cook pasta in boiling heavily salted water, stirring now & then until al dente with a little bite, keep some of the pasta water in reserve.

Meanwhile, add cream to pant with lemon zest & cook over medium heat, whisking often, until liquid is just beginning to simmer, about 2 minutes, reduce heat to low. Whisk in butter a little at a time until melted & sauce is creamy & emulsified, remove from heat.

When pasta is al dente, add reserved pasta water to the cream sauce, using tongs, transfer spaghetti to pan into sauce (it’s okay if a little water comes along with it), cook tossing often & add Parmesan little by little, until cheese is melted & sauce is creamy, about 3 minutes. If sauce feels thick, add a little more pasta cooking water (Cream sauces thicken up very quickly as they cool, so it’s better to lean on the runnier side of things.) Stir in lemon juice add black pepper.

Plate dish & garnish with lemon zest strips.