Italian soffritto with red sauce is aromatic, flavorful
Soffritto is a combination of onion, carrot, and celery. In Italy, soffritto is finely diced, uniformly. But it is very similar to the French version, called mirepoix, which is often diced a bit larger. The threesome is also referred to as the holy trinity by some. Cajun cooking has a version of the holy trinity, as well, but the carrot gets replaced with peppers.
Soffritto serves as a very aromatic base to many sauces and other dishes. I was inspired to make a pasta sauce with it after watching the Tuscan episode of “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy.” I would love to know exactly how his family made it when they lived in Italy while Tucci was a young child. But I enjoyed experimenting with my own version. I made a meatless red sauce and thought I’d get some resistance from my other half but he ended up finding it to be filling and flavorful even with the absence of beef. I’ve been on a journey, myself, searching for ways to incorporate more plant-based meals into our diet. Make no mistake, I am not giving up meat, but I like the concept of meatless Monday, if we have over-indulged in rich foods over the weekend. And this sauce would make a nice dish for Good Friday, too.
I’ve dabbled a little with eating gluten-free, as well. It’s not that I have a problem with wheat or gluten from any other source, but yet again, I’ve found inspiration from another Italian. Giada de Laurentiis’ new book, “Eat Better, Feel Better,” has got me thinking. Perhaps I might need to actually see if I “feel” better without certain things in my diet. It certainly couldn’t hurt to try. And I’m not lactose intolerant but dairy is another one on the list of foods to cut back on. Her concept is not to necessarily cut out all gluten, dairy, and sugar, but to eat more meals with that in mind. I’m about a week in, and I think I like it.
For anyone with digestive issues, bloating, or inflammation, this theory might be the answer, or at least help. And of course, always check with your doctor before switching up your diet.
I even picked up a box of dry spaghetti that was gluten-free. A year or two ago, it was difficult to find good products like this, but now the options are wide. I
chose one that consisted of rice flour, and quinoa flour. It cooked up much the same as pasta made from wheat flour. The cooking liquid looked a bit like the
pasta was overcooked when it wasn’t but otherwise, the texture and taste were pretty good.
This simple base of carrots, celery, and onion will add so much to sauces or liquids for braising. It can be strained
out of the sauce but I like to leave it for texture. Enjoy food made fresh!
Angelina Larue is a food writer, recipe developer and author of “The Whole Enchilada Fresh and Nutritious Southwestern Cuisine.”