Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A porous bread with a crispy crust, baked in a flattish, usually oblong loaf.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A broad, flat, white Italian bread.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Italian ciabatta, slipper, worn-out shoe, ciabatta (from the loaf's shape); akin to Old French chavate, savate, old slipper, and Portuguese sapato and Spanish zapato, shoe, of unknown origin.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Italian ciabatta ("slipper, bread").

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Examples

  • The ciabatta is to die for - makes for incredible pesto sandwiches and panini.

    Archive 2007-07-01 Nupur 2007

  • It can be shaped into a baguette or a boule or stretched into the shape called ciabatta.

    Ratio Michael Ruhlman 2009

  • My choice of bread to try from this book was the ciabatta which is Italian for slipper.

    Archive 2007-10-01 Barbara 2007

  • My choice of bread to try from this book was the ciabatta which is Italian for slipper.

    Ciabatta Bread Barbara 2007

  • (Incredibly, numerous bread companies obtained trademarks on names for breads that include the word ciabatta, a common enough Italian term meaning “slipper” that was unknown in this country before Carol Field published a recipe for a then-obscure regional bread.

    Half a Loaf 2008

  • (Incredibly, numerous bread companies obtained trademarks on names for breads that include the word ciabatta, a common enough Italian term meaning “slipper” that was unknown in this country before Carol Field published a recipe for a then-obscure regional bread.

    Half a Loaf 2008

  • Then there are breads I've made before such as ciabatta, baguette etc.

    The Fresh Loaf 2010

  • I suspect, given the extensibility of this dough it will "ciabatta" on me and just flatten out.

    The Fresh Loaf 2009

  • Paninis start with quality bread, such as ciabatta rolls, focaccia or baguette, sliced open and filled with vegetables, cheese or meats.

    azcentral.com | news 2009

  • While specialty breads like Italian focaccia or ciabatta, French baguettes, and Italian bread are delicious, as are sandwiches made on them, they tend to be calorie dense and fiber light.

    The Small Change Diet Keri Gans 2011

Comments

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  • An Italian bread whose name means slipper because of its shape.

    November 27, 2007

  • Can you wear it?

    November 27, 2007

  • Fill it full of pomodori and wear it in your mouth. Yum!

    November 27, 2007

  • u: for bread you can wear, try loafers.

    November 27, 2007

  • *major groan*

    November 27, 2007

  • a bread that CAN be made with about half whole wheat and also sourdough starter rather that instant yeast and all white flour. It gets big air holes in it because it is a very wet dough and is handled very delicately to not degas while fermenting AND proofing.

    http://www.sourdoughhome.com/ciabatta.html

    http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/wholewheatciabatta

    March 1, 2008

  • The phrase ciabatta bread, broadcast ad nauseam thanks to a nauseating Jack-in-the-Box commercial, is laughably redundant. Ciabatta is bread.

    March 24, 2011

  • Have a bagel roll instead.

    March 24, 2011

  • chelster, do you have the same opinion about mozzarella cheese, oolong tea, Macbook computer?

    March 25, 2011

  • And chai tea?

    March 25, 2011