Soffritto and Sofrito

Soffritto and Sofrito the Italian and Spanish forms of a word which means much the same in both languages, always indicating a preliminary aromatic preparation which is basic to a very wide range of savoury dishes. For Italians it is a mixture of chopped onion, garlic, parsley, and probably tomato and other ingredients too, lightly cooked in olive oil. In Spain, cooks are likely to use paprika, and garlic is not always present; while in Catalan cookery the sofregit is closer to the Italian soffritto. But these are general indications; all cooks have their own formulae, which may in any case vary slightly according to the use to which the soffritto will be put.