What should I cook today? GialloZafferano's menu for Wednesday, October 21

Today's menu focuses on budget-friendly ingredients, plenty of vegetables, and dishes you can even prepare ahead of time. From a crunchy appetizer to a warm, spiced first course, then a tasty main dish and a fresh side, all the way to a soft dessert you can fill however you like. Five vegetarian recipes to make even an ordinary Wednesday feel special!

Potato schiacciata is an easy, budget-friendly appetizer with a golden, crispy surface and a soft interior. It is made with very thinly sliced potatoes, immersed in a batter enriched with grated cheese, paprika, and rosemary. Everything is spread out in a baking pan and baked, with no rising required. Cut it into squares and serve it while still hot, perhaps for a homemade aperitivo.

Smart tip: Make a generous pan of it! You can store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days and reheat it in the oven to make it crispy again. It is also great to bring to work the next day.

Lentil soup with turmeric and ginger is a warm, creamy first course that comes together quickly. Precooked lentils are flavored with a sauté of onion and celery, while turmeric and ginger add a pleasant spiced note. The secret to its texture is blending only part of it, leaving the rest of the lentils whole. Serve it with a few slices of toasted bread!

Smart tip: Make an extra portion and freeze it for when you are short on time to cook. If you want to turn it into an even heartier dish, you can add cooked rice or farro.

Vegetable cutlets are a vegetarian main dish everyone can agree on, even those who usually do not love vegetables! Potatoes, zucchini, carrots, leeks, and spinach are cooked in a pan, then mixed with eggs, grated cheese, and breadcrumbs. The mixture is shaped into cutlets, breaded, and fried until a golden crust forms around a soft, flavorful filling.

Smart tip: Do you have leftover cooked vegetables in the refrigerator? You can use them to make these cutlets, adjusting the amount of breadcrumbs based on the consistency of the mixture. You can also freeze them already shaped, raw or cooked, so they are ready when you need them.

Cabbage and carrot salad, also known as coleslaw, is a fresh, crunchy side dish typical of Anglo-Saxon cuisine. Green cabbage and red cabbage are cut into thin strips and mixed with grated carrots. A creamy sauce made with yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, and chives makes them even more appetizing.

Smart tip: You can cut the vegetables ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator, but add the dressing only shortly before serving. This way the cabbage and carrots will keep all their crunchiness!

Jam roll is a soft and delicious dessert, perfect for breakfast or a snack too. The base is a tender sponge cake enriched with butter, which bakes in the oven in just a few minutes. Once ready, it is filled with strawberry jam, rolled up, and left to rest in the refrigerator. A dusting of powdered sugar and it is ready to slice!

Smart tip: You can customize the filling with the jam you already have in the pantry, such as apricot or cherry. If a few slices are left over, freeze them individually: you will always have a little treat ready for an impromptu snack.