Stendo l’impasto con il mattarello prima di usare lo stampo.

In Italian, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

• stendo = I roll out / I spread
• The ending -o tells you the subject is I

So Stendo l’impasto... naturally means I roll out the dough...

You could say Io stendo l’impasto..., but adding io usually gives extra emphasis, like:

• Io stendo l’impasto, tu prepari lo stampo.
  I roll out the dough, you prepare the mold/pan.

Stendere has several meanings in Italian, such as to spread, to lay out, or to stretch out. In a cooking context, with impasto, it usually means:

• to roll out the dough
• sometimes more generally to flatten/spread the dough

So in this sentence, stendo l’impasto is most naturally understood as I roll out the dough.

Because impasto begins with a vowel, il becomes l’ before it.

• il + impasto → l’impasto

This is called elision. It is very common in Italian with singular articles before vowels.

Other examples:

• l’acqua
• l’amico
• l’uovo

Con means with, and il mattarello means the rolling pin.

So:

• con il mattarello = with the rolling pin

Italian often uses the definite article in places where English may or may not use one. Here, the rolling pin is perfectly normal in both languages.

Also, mattarello is the usual word for rolling pin in standard Italian.

Because stampo begins with s + consonant (st-), and masculine singular nouns with that pattern usually take lo, not il.

So:

• lo stampo
• lo studente
• lo spago
• lo zaino

This is a standard article rule in Italian.

After prima di, Italian normally uses an infinitive when the subject is the same as in the main clause.

So:

• prima di usare lo stampo = before using the mold/pan / before I use the mold/pan

Here the person who rolls out the dough is also the person who uses the mold, so Italian uses:

• prima di + infinitive

That is why usare is correct, not uso.

The subject of usare is understood to be the same as the subject of stendo.

So the sentence means:

• I roll out the dough with the rolling pin before using the mold/pan.

Italian does not need to repeat the subject here.

If the subject were different, Italian would usually use a different structure, for example:

• prima che tu usi lo stampo
  before you use the mold/pan

So:

• prima di usare = same subject
• prima che... = possibly different subject, with a conjugated verb

It depends on context. Stampo is a general word that can mean:

• mold
• cake pan / baking tin
• shaping form
• sometimes cookie cutter, depending on the situation

So the exact English translation depends on what kind of kitchen tool is meant. If the meaning has already been shown to the learner, that chosen meaning is probably the best one for this sentence.

It is understandable, but by itself stendo means I roll out, so it sounds like someone describing their own action.

If you are giving instructions directly to one person, Italian would more often use:

• Stendi l’impasto con il mattarello prima di usare lo stampo.
  Roll out the dough with the rolling pin before using the mold/pan.

In recipes, Italian also often uses:

• the infinitive: Stendere l’impasto...
• the imperative: Stendi l’impasto...

So stendo is grammatical, but it sounds more like I am doing this than a neutral recipe instruction.

The sentence follows a very common Italian pattern:

• Stendo = verb
• l’impasto = direct object
• con il mattarello = instrument/manner
• prima di usare lo stampo = time clause

So literally, it is:

• I roll out the dough with the rolling pin before using the mold/pan.

This word order is natural in Italian. Italian can sometimes move parts around for emphasis, but this version is straightforward and standard.

Yes. Italian allows some flexibility.

For example:

• Stendo l’impasto con il mattarello prima di usare lo stampo.
• Con il mattarello, stendo l’impasto prima di usare lo stampo.

Both are possible. The first is the most neutral. The second puts a bit more focus on with the rolling pin.

The apostrophe does not create a pause. It just shows that the vowel of the article has dropped.

So l’impasto is pronounced smoothly, almost as if it were one unit:

• lim-PA-sto

You do not pronounce a separate il. It is not il impasto. It is simply l’impasto.

Sometimes yes, but in this context roll out the dough is probably better because of con il mattarello.

Why?

• mattarello = rolling pin
• A rolling pin is typically used to roll out dough

So while stendere can mean spread, the most natural translation here is:

• I roll out the dough with the rolling pin...

That better matches the cooking action described.