Browned Butter Thyme Mushroom Pasta

This is a recipe all about timing. In theory you should be able to put the water on to boil, start prepping and cooking the other ingredients, pop the pasta in the boiling water and cook for everything to be ready at the same time. But, as they say, "man plans and god laughs". Stoves are all different and conditions change. Getting the two parts - the pasta and the mushrooms - ready at the same time to be combined is aspirational so definitely go for it. Good for you if you succeed. But if not, it's better to have the mushroom mixture ready before the pasta is cooked to avoid soggy, sticky pasta sitting and cooking for too long.

1lb pasta (chunky pasta or spaghetti-style)

½ cup pasta water

½ cup (4oz/114gr) butter

1lb cremini mushrooms, sliced thick (4 to 6 slices per mushroom depending on size)

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp thyme, minced 

Splash of balsamic vinegar

Good pinch of salt

¼ tsp black pepper or to taste

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For serving: chopped fresh parsley, extra Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and drain.
2. While the water is heating up, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter stops crackling and starts to foam and smells slightly nutty, this should take about 3 to 4 minutes. This step is essential to get right - not browned enough and the sauce is just greasy, and browned too much and the milk solids in the butter burns. The key is to listen to the butter, and when is stops crackling, look to the milk solids on the bottom of the pan and let them get a nice golden brown then immediately add the mushrooms. The mushrooms will quickly absorb the butter and stop any browning of the butter as they begin to cook.
3. Add the mushrooms and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and browned, about 10 minutes. Then you'll have the mushrooms filled with browned butter, and the mushrooms themselves with has a crust of browning on them, too, for additional flavor.
4. Add the garlic and thyme, cook for 2 more minutes. This is just to cook away that sharp raw garlic flavor.
5. Add the splash of balsamic and cook for another minute or two, until it has mostly evaporated. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
6. These next steps are also rather quick - you don't want the sauce to evaporate. 
7. First, add the pasta to the skillet and toss well. Then, stir in the reserved pasta water. 
8. Turn off the heat and slowly mix in the Parmesan cheese, stirring gently until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
9. ASAP, get the pasta out of the pan. Transfer the pasta to a serving plate or individual plates or bowls and garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.