Spanish Sofrito Recipe
Traditional Spanish Sofrito Recipe The word sofrito is Spanish and means to lightly fry something, Sofrito is a basic preparation of tomatoes, garlic, oil, and onions to make a sauce, that forms the base of many traditional Spanish dishes such paella, stews, vegetables and pasta, it can also be eaten as a dip like salsa and is lovely served over rice or fried eggs for an easy, tasty breakfast or lunch.
INGREDIENTS
8 1/2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra-virgin oil
4 1/3 cups onions, finely chopped
3/4 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 dried bay leaf
8 oz pureed fresh tomatoes or canned tomato puree
1/2 tsp salt
Traditional Spanish Sofrito Recipe
Method
Put the garlic into a tall jar or beaker, then process to a paste using a hand-held blender.
Put a saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Fry the garlic until browned.
Meanwhile, process the onion in the blender. Add to the pan with the garlic. Lower the heat, add the herbs, then fry, stirring frequently, until the onion has browned.
Add four-fifths of the tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes.
Add the remaining tomato, cook for 30 more minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Tips and Uses
If you are using the sofrito as an ingredient in another recipe, allow it to cool for a few minutes before adding it to your dish.
Warm sofrito is preferred if you are serving it as a sauce with fried eggs or rice.
Tomato sauce mellows and becomes sweeter overnight so many prefer to make a batch the day before.
The sauce will keep for 5 days in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.
