Step 1

Cook the orecchiette in a large saucepan of boiling well-salted water until just tender.

Step 2

Place the butter and walnuts in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the milk solids turn brown and the walnuts are golden brown. Just before serving, add the lemon rind and juice. (This will stop the browning of the butter so make sure it’s a lovely deep golden brown before adding the lemon.)

Step 3

Reserve ½ cup cooking water. Drain pasta. Toss the pasta through the sauce, adding the reserved water as needed. Season to taste with salt. Serve immediately, topped with parmesan.