Instructions: Put eggs in a small saucepan filled with cold water, bring water to a boil and simmer for 12 minutes. Pour off boiling water and run cold water over eggs until easy to handle. Peel, roughly chop and place in a medium-size mixing bowl. Set aside.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot or frying pan. Rinse asparagus and with a vegetable peeler or paring knife, scrape the stems and snap off the woody ends. Toss asparagus into boiling water, cover, and when the water returns to a boil, remove lid and cook until barely al dente, 5 to 8 minutes.

With a fork stir the oil, grated cheese and a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper into the chopped eggs, crushing to form a coarse paste. With a ladle, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of the asparagus boiling water, thinning the paste.

Drain asparagus through a colander, rinse with cold water and transfer to serving platter. Garnish with the chopped egg mixture and additional 1/4 cup cheese if desired.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

NOTES : David Downie is the author of "Enchanted Liguria" (Rizzoli International) and "Cooking the Roman Way" (HarperCollins)

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