Rachel Roddy’s recipe for rice, aubergine and mozzarella bake
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EN: Use the preposition 'with' to describe what ingredients or features something has or includes.
She likes pasta with tomato sauce and cheese.
EN: The word 'aubergine' is commonly used in British English, while American English uses 'eggplant'. Additionally, 'bake' is often used as a noun in British food writing to mean a baked casserole dish.
EN: Use the Past Simple tense (verb + -ed) to talk about an action that happened and finished at a specific time in the past.
He shared a great story yesterday.
EN: In English journalism, professional titles such as "Food writer" often appear directly before a person's name without a comma or article, introducing their expertise immediately to readers.
EN: Use listing commas and 'and' before the last item to list three or more things (A, B and C). Here, the list functions as a compound modifier before the noun 'bake'.
He ordered an apple, banana and orange smoothie.
EN: In British English, 'aubergine' is used for the vegetable known as 'eggplant' in American English. Additionally, 'bake' is commonly used as a noun in British and Australian home cooking to describe a casserole-style oven-baked dish.
EN: Use 'come from' to show the origin or source of something (where it begins, where someone was born, or where an idea originates). In the simple present tense with a singular third-person subject, add '-s' to make 'comes from'.
This coffee comes from Colombia.
EN: In English, referring to a decade uses 'the' plus the four-digit year ending in 's' (e.g., 'the 1950s', read as 'the nineteen fifties'). The 1950s was an important era for popularizing regional home cooking in published Italian recipe collections.
EN: We use 'is called + [name]' to state the name or title of something (a book, a person, a place).
This cafe is called Blue Sky.
EN: Ada Boni was one of the most famous food writers in 20th-century Italy. Her book, 'Il talismano della felicità' (published in English as 'The Talisman Italian Cook Book'), was given to many Italian brides as a standard wedding gift.
EN: The verb 'give' (past: 'gave') often takes two objects: an indirect object (the person receiving: 'Roddy') followed by a direct object (the thing given: 'a copy'). The pattern is 'give + person + thing'.
My brother gave me a lovely present.
EN: In English, a specific printed edition or physical volume of a published book is referred to as 'a copy of the book'. When mentioning the vintage or edition year, speakers often use 'from [year]' (e.g., 'a copy from 1977').
EN: Use 'was/were + past participle' (passive voice) when the focus is on what happened to the subject rather than who did it. 'was written' means someone wrote it.
The story was written in English.
EN: In English, the names of languages and nationalities (like 'Italian', 'English', 'French') are always capitalized, whether they are used as nouns or adjectives.
EN: We use the past simple passive ('was' + past participle) when something happened to the subject in the past, and who did it is not the main focus.
The story was translated into three languages.
EN: In the mid-20th century, many traditional European cookbooks were adapted and translated specifically for American audiences, often substituting local US ingredients and measurement units.
EN: Use 'try to + base verb' to talk about attempting or making an effort to do something. In the past tense, 'try' becomes 'tried'.
She tried to learn Spanish last year.
EN: Italian cuisine is deeply regional rather than uniform; each area has distinct traditions and ingredients. A cookbook aiming to show dishes 'of Italy' typically brings together varied local specialties from across the country.
EN: Use 'can' followed by the base form of a verb to talk about possibility or options.
You can cook this pasta in ten minutes.
EN: In British and Australian cooking, 'bake' is often used as a noun to describe a baked casserole-style dish (such as a 'pasta bake').
EN: You can use an adjective directly after an object with verbs like 'eat' to describe the state of the food while eating it (e.g., 'eat it hot' = eat it while it is hot).
Serve the soup warm so everyone can enjoy it.
EN: Mozzarella is prized in Italian baking for its melting qualities; when heated, it produces the classic stretchy texture often called 'stringy' in everyday English (or 'cheese pull' in modern food culture).
EN: We can put an adjective right after an object to describe the condition or state of the object while the action is happening (e.g., 'eat it firm' means 'eat it while it is firm').
He likes to drink his coffee hot.
EN: In Italian home cooking, many baked pasta or rice dishes (like timballo or pasta al forno) are traditionally served either piping hot or left to rest until warm or room temperature, allowing the cheese to firm up so it can be sliced cleanly.
EN: Use 'Both + plural noun + are' to talk about two things together sharing the same quality.
Both books are interesting.
EN: The spelling 'flavoursome' uses British English spelling ('-our'). In American English, it is spelled 'flavorsome' (or more commonly, 'flavorful').
EN: Use 'like' as a preposition to mean 'for example' or 'such as' when giving examples.
She enjoys sweet fruits like apples and bananas.
EN: In British English, the vegetable is called an 'aubergine', whereas in American English, it is referred to as an 'eggplant'.
EN: In everyday English, the word 'that' can be left out after reporting verbs like 'says' when introducing a clause (subject + verb).
The guide says the museum opens at nine.
EN: Italian cuisine is not a single uniform style; rather, it is deeply regional. Italy consists of 20 regions, and each area—from northern Lombardy to southern Sicily—has its own distinctive climate, produce, and culinary traditions.
EN: Use 'Every' followed by a singular countable noun ('part') to refer to all members of a group individually. Even though it refers to all parts, it takes a singular verb ('has') and singular possessive pronoun ('its').
Every student in the class has their own book.
EN: Italy did not unify as a single country until 1861. Because of this, Italian cooking is not one single cuisine, but rather a collection of distinct regional cuisines shaped by local geography, history, and traditions.
EN: Use the pattern 'one example of + noun' to show that something is part of a larger category or style.
Pizza is one example of famous Italian food.
EN: In British and Australian English, 'a bake' is commonly used as a countable noun referring to a dish cooked in an oven (like a pasta bake or casserole). 'Home cooking' (cucina casalinga in Italian) is deeply valued in Italy, where traditional family recipes passed down through generations are often preferred over restaurant dining.
EN: Use the pattern 'It is + adjective + to + verb' to describe how easy, hard, or fun an action is.
It is easy to learn English.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
Food that is cooked at home, usually traditional or comforting in style.
Simple or straightforward to prepare or cook.
To originate in or have a specific source.