• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Roast the squash for 15 minutes, then gently flip and roast for 10 to 15 more minutes.
• While the squash roasts, cook the pancetta until crispy. Keep the fat in the pan to make the maple bacon dressing recipe below.
• Once the squash is done, you can assemble the salad!
• I make a big bed of romaine (seasoned with salt and pepper) on a platter and then do stripes of squash, avocado, apples, pancetta and so on. You can add the toppings on however you’d like!
• Drizzle with the maple bacon dressing and serve!

warm maple bacon dressing

• Add the bacon fat, minced garlic, vinegar, maple syrup and mustard to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until the dressing slightly emulsifies. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Before serving, add in the crumbled pancetta. You can keep this over low heat while stirring occasionally until ready to serve. You can also store it in the fridge. I suggest reheating it in a saucepan. This is the combo I’ve come to love over the years, but you can experiment with different vinegars, more bacon fat and other spices too!