Sbattere

Sbattere is an Italian verb that primarily means to strike, hit, or beat with energy, and in cooking it specifically refers to mixing ingredients vigorously. It can describe actions as varied as beating eggs, whipping cream, or vigorously whisking batter. In a broader sense, sbattere can also denote slamming or banging something, as in sbattere la porta (to slam the door). The term appears in many idiomatic expressions, such as sbattere i piedi (to stamp one’s feet) or sbattere la testa (to bang one’s head).

Etymology and usage notes indicate that sbattere is formed from the root battere (to strike) with the prefix s-, signaling a more abrupt or forceful action. It shares a semantic field with other Italian verbs for physical impact and with cooking verbs that describe mixing, though in culinary contexts it often implies fast, thorough agitation rather than gentle stirring.

In cooking, sbattere is used to describe beating or whisking ingredients to achieve a smoother, homogeneous mixture. Common constructions include sbattere le uova (to beat eggs), sbattere lo zucchero con i tuorli (to beat sugar with egg yolks), and, in some contexts, sbattere la panna (to whip cream). The action is typically performed by hand with a whisk or fork, or with a mixer.

Conjugation and grammar: sbattere is a regular -ere verb with the prefix s-. Present tense forms are sbatto, sbatti, sbatte, sbattiamo, sbattete, sbattono. The past participle is sbattuto, used with avere (ho sbattuto le uova). Imperative forms include sbatti, sbattiamo, sbattete. The meaning shifts with context from physical impact to culinary mixing.