Sofrito
Sofrito is one of Corfu's signature dishes: thin slices of veal or beef, lightly floured and cooked until tender in a powerful but balanced sauce of garlic, parsley, vinegar and white wine. Despite its name, it is quite different from the better-known Italian or Spanish sofrito.
A classic Corfiot dish of thin beef or veal slices cooked with garlic, parsley, vinegar and a pale aromatic sauce.
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cooking Time
50 minutes
Serves
4
Difficulty
Moderate
Dietary Tags
Meat, Contains Gluten
true
Ingredients
- 800 g veal or tender beef, cut into thin slices
- 75 g plain flour, for dusting
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 60 ml white wine vinegar
- 250 ml beef stock or hot water
- Salt and plenty of freshly ground white or black pepper
Method
- Season the meat, dust lightly with flour and shake off the excess.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide casserole and brown the slices in batches. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce the heat. Add the garlic briefly, taking care not to burn it.
- Pour in the wine and vinegar and scrape up the browned flavour from the pan.
- Return the meat, add the parsley, pepper and enough stock to create a shallow braising liquid.
- Cover and simmer gently for about 35-45 minutes, until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced to a silky consistency.
- Taste for the characteristic balance of garlic and vinegar, adjust the seasoning and scatter with fresh parsley before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Use thin slices so the meat becomes tender without a very long braise.
- The garlic and vinegar should be noticeable: their balance is central to Corfiot sofrito.
- Do not burn the garlic or the sauce will become bitter.
What to Serve With
Traditional accompaniments include mashed potatoes, fried potatoes or rice. Add bread for the sauce and a simple salad alongside.
Where to Try It in Corfu
Sofrito is one of the easier traditional Corfiot dishes to find. Aegli Restaurant on the Liston in Corfu Town is a particularly useful place to look for traditional Corfiot cooking including sofrito. It is also worth checking traditional tavernas around the island, as individual family recipes can differ in the balance of garlic, parsley and vinegar.
Recipe Story / Corfu Connection
Sofrito is regarded as one of Corfu's emblematic dishes and reflects the island's Venetian culinary inheritance. The Corfiot preparation centres on meat, garlic, parsley and vinegar rather than the chopped vegetable base that the word sofrito suggests elsewhere.