Chopping and Pounding

Without work the vessel of human life lacks ballast.

Stendhal, Souvenirs d’Egotisme

The fine chopping of aromatics is the basis of Italian and Catalan cooking. The Italian sofjritto or battuto, for which there is no Anglo-Saxon equivalent, consists in the fine chopping of aromatic herbs and vegetables which, underfried in olive oil, are the point of departure for imparting flavour to whatever is being cooked.