• Toasts may be made 2 days ahead, cooled completely, and kept between layers of paper towels or wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Squash purée may be made 2 days ahead. Cool completely, then chill, covered.
Recipe information
Total Time
2 1/4 hr
Yield
Makes 16 servings (about 20 cups)
Ingredients
For toasts
For soup
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Make toasts:
Step 2
Trim and discard crusts from bread. Spread 1 side of each slice evenly with butter and season with salt and pepper. Halve slices diagonally to form triangles and arrange, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet. Toast bread, turning once, in middle of oven until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer toasts to a rack to cool.
Make soup:
Step 3
Put squash, cut sides down, in 2 greased shallow baking pans and roast in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until very tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Cool and scoop out flesh.
Step 4
Purée squash in batches in a blender with jalapeño, cumin, and broth until very smooth (add additional water as needed to facilitate puréeing).Transfer to a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot and stir in 5 cups water. Simmer, stirring, 10 minutes, then stir in lemon juice, enough water to thin to desired consistency, and salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5
Serve soup in bowls topped with slices of toast spread with pesto.
