Place a large pot on medium heat. Add in the olive oil and place the lemon halves cut side down. Allow to sear one minute; cover pot loosely if it starts to splatter. Next, add in the garlic and cover loosely for another minute. Uncover and mix to brown evenly. The lemon should get darker and a bit softer, and the garlic will brown as well.

After about three to four minutes total, remove the lemon and set aside.

Add in the pasta, salt, pepper, and water. Mix well while scraping the bottom of the bowl to let any garlic loose from the bottom of the pot.

Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover to cook about 10 minutes. Uncover and squeeze in the juice from the lemon halves. Mix in the cream cheese and parsley. Turn off the flame. If the pasta isn’t fully soft yet, cover and let sit a few more minutes to soften.

Add more salt and pepper if needed at the end.