Rinse and trim asparagus ends. Try to cut off only woody part.
Chop the asparagus spears into smaller chunks. If you want to saute asparagus whole, then you'll need a large pan that can fit them.
On a large skillet, warm up a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the asparagus, crushedgarlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté on medium-high heat for 2 minutes, add white wine (or water) and stir.Let the wine evaporate, turn the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a lid and cook for another 3 to 7 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus is.
To check for doneness, pierce the stalk with a fork. It should be tender-crisp, not mushy and overcooked. Serving suggestions below.