Before draining pasta, reserve at least 1 cup of starchy pasta water—this is essential for achieving a silky, cohesive sauce that clings to each strand instead of becoming greasy.

Keep your heat at medium-low when combining cream and lemon juice to prevent the cream from breaking or curdling, which happens when acid meets high temperature too quickly.

Microplane the lemon zest separately before juicing, then add it at the very end for bright, fresh citrus flavor that won't diminish during cooking.

Cut butter into small cubes and whisk them in off-heat to create a proper emulsion—this creates a velvety texture far superior to simply melting butter into the sauce.

Add salt and pepper gradually throughout cooking rather than all at once, tasting after each addition to balance the acidity of lemon with the richness of cream and cheese.