Recipe(tried): Roasted Asparagus with Sweet Peppers

This recipe comes from the lovely lady of Ciao Italia! I tried it from memory and added a little touch of my own. It was so delicious, I could eat a soup tureen of it!

INGREDIENTS:

Asparagus (one or two bunches)
Red and yellow peppers (1 or two per asparagus bunch)
2 or more cloves garlic w/skin on
extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar,
fresh black pepper & sea salt

Using a pastry brush, thinly spread olive oil over a cookie sheet. (If making a big batch, use separate sheets for asparagus and peppers.) Wash asparagus and snap off tough stems. Spread out on cookie sheet and using the pastry brush, dab in olive oil already spread on the sheet.

Core and seed pepper(s), cut in half. Place skin side up on cookie sheet. Place garlic cloves in their skins among asparagus.

Place sheet(s) in oven preheated to 400-F degrees. Roast, checking after 15 min. Remove garlic and let cool. Move asparagus with a fork and depending upon thickness, roast further until fork tender. Peppers should roast until skins are crinkled and a bit blackened (no need for "charred").

Remove asparagus, cut spears in half and place in a bowl. Slip skins off of roasted garlic, mash on cutting board with a fork and stir into asparagus. Let pepper halves cool a bit, peel off skins, and slice coarsely. Add to asparagus, grate in fresh black pepper, a sprinkle of sea salt, and splash with balsamic vinegar to taste.

Use a heat-safe bowl to keep warm in the oven as a side dish, or serve room temperature as a salad over a bed of greens.