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Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
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Wash the asparagus and COMPLETELY dry.
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Snap off the tough ends and discard. (If they are thick, you can peel the outside. Mine were thin so I didn’t peel them.)
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Place them on a baking sheet and make sure you keep half of a bunch separate for the pesto. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt over the asparagus. You may need to do this in two batches.
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With your hands, gently coat the asparagus evenly and spread out to a single layer.
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Place on the top rack of your oven and bake for 6 - 8 minutes, depending on how thick they are.
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When they are finished cooking, let them cool and cut into desired lengths. For the pasta, I cut the spears into thirds. Set aside.