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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Place a pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant, then add the zucchini along with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the zucchini cooks down, releases its water, and becomes soft and concentrated in flavor.
Cook the orzo in the boiling water until just shy of al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
Add the drained orzo back to the large pot with the zucchini. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and stir vigorously, until it reaches a light, creamy consistency, about a minute.
Remove from the heat, then stir in the cheese, lemon zest, and plenty of black pepper, mixing vigorously.
Add the basil, then taste and adjust with more salt, pepper or lemon zest. Then, stir in an extra splash of pasta water to achieve a nice consistency.
Spoon into bowls, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, then serve with extra cheese, basil and black pepper on top.