Rachel Roddy’s recipe for cheese and bread balls
Listen to Course
0:00
0:00
EN: Use the Present Simple tense with an '-s' ending on the verb (shares) when the subject is a singular third-person (he, she, or a person's name).
Chef Marco shares his secret soup recipe.
EN: In news headlines and culinary writing, presenting a profession directly before a full name (e.g., 'Food writer Rachel Roddy') is a standard way to introduce a person and their expertise without using 'the'.
EN: Use '[time period] + ago' with the past simple tense to talk about something that happened in the past relative to now.
He bought a new car two days ago.
EN: In Italian home cooking (cucina povera), cooks traditionally make delicious meals from leftover ingredients like stale bread and hardened cheese ends to prevent food waste.
EN: Use '..., but not...' to connect contrasting information quickly without repeating the main verb.
I like apples, but not oranges.
EN: Gorgonzola is a classic Italian blue cheese known for its strong flavor, while Cheddar is a popular British hard cheese. Home cooks often mix different leftover cheese varieties together to make hearty comfort dishes.
EN: Use 'or' to rephrase or explain an unfamiliar word with simpler terms.
He likes pasta, or Italian noodles.
EN: In traditional Italian home cooking (such as 'cucina povera'), stale or leftover bread is often grated or crumbled into breadcrumbs so nothing goes to waste.
EN: When one subject does two actions in the simple present tense, connect the verbs with 'and'. Both verbs must match the third-person singular form (ending in -s or -es).
He washes the apples and cuts them into pieces.
EN: In cooking recipes, the preposition 'into' often describes the transformation of ingredients from separate parts into a single new form (e.g., 'mix into a paste', 'shape into balls').
EN: Use 'so' to connect an action with its result or outcome. Clause 1 + so + Clause 2 shows that the second part happens because of the first part.
He baked the cookies for too long, so they were very hard.
EN: The word 'crunchable' is a playful, informal adjective made by adding '-able' to 'crunch'. Speakers often use 'or [standard word]' (like 'or crunchy') right after invented words to explain what they mean clearly.
EN: We use 'come from' to talk about the origin or source of something, like an idea, a person, or a product.
This special coffee comes from Colombia.
EN: Molise and Abruzzo are neighboring regions in central-southern Italy known for their rustic, resource-saving home cooking ('cucina povera'), which traditionally uses stale bread and leftover cheese.
EN: Use 'to + base verb' (infinitive) to explain the purpose or reason why someone does an action. It answers the question 'Why?'.
I go to the supermarket to buy some milk.
EN: This reflects the traditional Italian culinary concept of 'cucina povera' (peasant cooking), which focuses on waste-free cooking by turning stale bread and leftover cheese into delicious, hearty dishes.
EN: Use 'say + (that) clause' to report what someone says. The word 'that' is often left out in everyday English.
He says the soup needs more salt.
EN: In cooking, giving a range like '80 to 120 grams' is common when working with bread or dough, because different types of bread absorb moisture differently.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
to finish or consume all of something so that nothing remains
to have as an origin; originate
cooking oil heated to a high temperature, typically for frying