Prepare the linguine according to package instructions, using well salted water. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil over medium low heat in a small pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, olive oil and garlic, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, black pepper, and 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add additional pasta water as needed until the ingredients are easy to stir. Taste; add additional black pepper and salt, if needed. (Note: parmesan cheese is salty, so you might not need any).
Divide into portions and top each serving with extra parmesan cheese and, if using, chopped parsley.
Notes
This is a simple dish that begs for high quality ingredients. For best results, use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, fresh squeezed lemon juice and a good quality olive oil. You'll be able to taste the difference! I love serving this dish with white wine (my preference is sauvignon blanc).I strongly recommend grating the cheese on either a microplane zester (my first choice) or the finest setting on a box grater. This way it just melts into the pasta in the best possible way.