This wonderfully tasty side dish offers the perfect balance of sweet and savory with individual spears of asparagus that are wrapped in tender-crisp maple soaked bacon, roasted to perfection and then topped with crumbled feta cheese.
Add the maple syrup, and pepper to a small bowl and mix. Cut the bacon slices lengthwise into two narrow strips. Place the bacon in the bowl with the maple syrup and toss until evenly coated. Set aside.
Rinse the asparagus spears in cold water then remove the tough bottom ends with a knife or kitchen shears. Pat the spears dry with a paper towel.
Line the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet with foil and then place an oven-safe wire baking rack on the baking sheet. Spray the baking rack with non-stick cooking oil.
Tightly wrap each asparagus spear with a slice of bacon. Avoid overlapping the edges of the bacon and wrap the asparagus so that the bacon extends the entire length of the spear.
Lay the wrapped spears out on top of the baking rack with the loose ends of bacon facing down. Roast the asparagus on the middle rack of the oven for 14 to 16 minutes or until the bacon is tender-crisp.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, using a pair of tongs, stack the asparagus on a plate and sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese over the bacon-wrapped spears.