There are two things I love about pencil-thin asparagus: one is that it requires no peeling, because its outer sheath is far more tender than that of its thick cousin; the other is that it cooks much faster. This is especially important when you turn to methods other than boiling or steaming—most notably roasting. What I like to do is roast thin spears until they’re just about tender, then top them with a foolproof two-ingredient topping: coarse bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Run that under the broiler, and you get roasted asparagus with a crunchy, high-impact crust. Keep your eye on the dish while it’s under the broiler—the time needed there is only a minute or two.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 thick slice good-quality bread (about 1 ounce)

　　1 small chunk Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1 ounce)

　　1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, more or less

　　3 tablespoons butter, extra virgin olive oil, or a combination

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 500°F; while it’s preheating, put the bread in there and check it frequently until it is lightly toasted and dry. Coarsely grind or grate the bread and cheese together (a small food processor is perfect for this)—if possible, keep the crumbs from becoming as fine as commercial bread crumbs.

　　

Step 2

Rinse the asparagus and break off the woody ends. Lay them in a baking dish that will accommodate them in two or three layers. Toss with bits of the butter and/or oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and put in the oven.

　　

Step 3

Roast for 5 minutes, then shake the pan to redistribute the butter or oil. Roast for another 5 minutes, then test the asparagus for doneness by piercing a spear with the point of a sharp knife; it is done when the knife enters the asparagus but still meets a little resistance. You can prepare the recipe in advance up to this point up to a couple of hours before serving; allow the asparagus to sit at room temperature during that time.

　　

Step 4

Turn on the broiler and put the rack as close as possible to the heating element. Sprinkle the asparagus with the crumbs and carefully brown the top—it will take only a minute or two. Serve the asparagus hot or at room temperature.

　　

Variation

Step 5

Roast Asparagus with Soy and Sesame: Omit the bread and cheese. Use 1 tablespoon peanut oil in place of the olive oil or butter. Halfway through the roasting, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce to the asparagus. Top with about 2 tablespoons sesame seeds; run under the broiler until they begin to pop, about 1 minute. Finish with a sprinkling of soy sauce, just a teaspoon or two.

　　From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books.Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.