Sofrito is heavily emphasized as the third critical component in a "sofregit" base along with tomatoes and onions. Garlic is optional, as it is not considered an integral part of the standard "sofregit" recipe. Some "sofregit" recipes do not contain tomatoes at all, but are made more complex with the addition of diced vegetables such as leeks or bell peppers. In Italian cuisine, chopped onions, carrots and celery is battuto, and then, slowly cooked in olive oil, becomes "soffritto". It is used as the base for most pasta sauces, such as arrabbiata sauce, but occasionally it can be used as the
Sofrito Sofrito Sofrito (Spanish, ), sofregit (Catalan), soffritto (Italian, ), or refogado (Portuguese, /) is a sauce used as a base in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Latin American cooking. Preparations may vary, but it typically consists of aromatic ingredients cut into small pieces and sauteed or braised in cooking oil. In Spanish cuisine, sofrito consists of garlic, onion, peppers, and tomatoes cooked in olive oil. This is known as , or sometimes as in Portuguese-speaking nations, where only onions and olive oil are often essential, garlic and bay laurel leaves being the other most common ingredients. In Catalan cuisine, olive oil