Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic in melted butter until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir orzo into garlic mixture and mix in Parmesan cheese, milk, parsley, salt, and black pepper.
Alternate instructions: “This recipe is delicious even though I alter the method somewhat. I love the look browning the orzo gives the final dish so I start with a couple tablespoons of butter in the pan and toss in the orzo and stir it around until some of the grains are slightly golden. I then toss in the garlic for about 30 seconds, stirring it around in the pan. Next I add the water (or some chicken broth if I have some in the refrigerator) to the pan, using only about a cup plus a splash. Close the lid and simmer until al dente. The pasta will absorb all the liquid with no need to drain. Each brand of pasta is different but I like to use the blue box variety and nine minutes is al dente and not starchy at all. So watch your pasta closely. Finish off by adding the milk (or cream) and freshly grated parmesan. I love the splash of color the chopped parsley gives this dish. Delicious simple side dish!”