Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°  or 350° convection roast..
2. Spread the squash pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, tossing the pieces to coat evenly.  Roast in the oven until browned, turning several times (about 20 minutes).
3. In a 5-quart or larger stockpot set over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden (8 to 10 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
4. Drain most of the bacon fat from the stockpot.  Stir in the apple, sage, salt, and pepper and cook for about 4 minutes (you’ll see more browning occur on the bottom of the pot than on the vegetables). Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits in the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the roasted squash.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the squash and apples are very soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool somewhat.
5. Puree, using a stand or immersion blender (you will need to work in batches if using a stand blender). Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Reheat the soup and garnish each serving with the bacon.