Boil a large pot of water and cook the linguine until it reaches an al dente texture. To prevent sticking, lightly toss the pasta with a bit of olive oil and set it aside. Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water.

In the meantime, heat the cream in a large saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Incorporate the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt, mixing well. Add the butter, cut into pieces, and stir until it melts. You can adjust the flavor by adding more lemon juice if desired.

Mix in the finely chopped basil leaves, allowing them to infuse into the cream sauce.

Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce in the saucepan, tossing to ensure everything is well mixed. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add some of the reserved pasta water until the desired consistency is achieved.

Serve hot, garnished with additional basil, a sprinkle of black pepper, and a generous amount of shredded cheese.