More a cooking method than a carved-in-stone recipe, this serves 4 as a side dish. Can be doubled, tripled or more.
1-1/4 lb thin asparagus
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
1/3 cup grated manchego or other sharp cheese
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Trim the asparagus spears by breaking each one close to the base, letting the spear break naturally (this will tell you where the stalk begins to get old). Neaten the edges with your knife, and place the spears in a casserole pan with all of the tips facing the same direction. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss with your hands. Spread the spears into a single layer, as much as possible. Sprinkle the cheese on top, and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the asparagus is just barely cooked. Serve hot.