What Should I Cook Today? GialloZafferano’s Menu for Friday, October 30

For Friday, October 30, we chose a complete menu that brings together rustic preparations, from crispy fritters to a traditional first course like pasta e fagioli. The main course with tofu and vegetables keeps the menu’s seasonal thread going, while the mashed potatoes add a creamy note that nicely completes the dish. To finish, a Halloween cheesecake gives the finale a themed touch, perfect for the last days of October.

Crispy vegetable fritters are an easy, golden savory appetizer, known for the contrast between their soft interior and crispy surface. They’re made with very few ingredients by grating zucchini, carrots, and potatoes to use raw and binding them only with flour. In this version, they’re cooked with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and the baking soda helps keep them light-colored and nice and crispy. Serve them hot at the start of dinner.

Pasta e fagioli is a warm, traditional first course characterized by a rustic, enveloping consistency. It’s a classic of Italian cooking with roots in rural tradition, and over time it has given rise to many variations, from those with pork rind to those with shellfish. Our version preserves the wholesome character of this humble, economical dish, made with ditaloni rigati pasta and borlotti beans. It’s perfect for a late-October lunch.

Marinated tofu and vegetable skewers are a simple, colorful main course. The name already describes the structure of the dish, with marinated tofu and vegetables brought together in a practical preparation. It’s a simple and tasty option, perfect for adding a plant-based main course to the menu of the day. Serve them nice and hot with your chosen side dish.

Mashed potatoes are a soft, creamy side dish known for their velvety consistency. For many people, they’re true winter comfort food and pair well with various main courses, from chicken to meatballs. They’re made with boiled potatoes and enriched with milk, butter, and nutmeg. Pair them with the skewers to complete the main course in a delicious way.

Halloween brain cheesecake is a dramatic, themed dessert, recognizable from the name itself, which recalls the shape of a brain. It’s a cheesecake designed for Halloween and closes the menu with an eye-catching presence, in keeping with the last days of October. Even without further details, its character is clear: a decorative finale that immediately draws attention at the table. Serve it at the end of dinner to stay in the theme of the evening.