soffritto

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sof·frit·to

S0535850 (sō-frē′tō, sə-)n. pl. sof·frit·tos A mixture of seasonings and finely chopped vegetables, such as onions, garlic, and celery, that is sautéed in olive oil and used as a base for many Italian dishes.
[Italian, past participle of soffriggere, to brown, from Vulgar Latin *suffrīgere, to fry lightly; see sofrito.]