Short answer
Ciabatta is a flat, rectangular Italian wheat loaf made from a very wet dough. That wet dough gives it a thin, crisp crust and an airy, hole-filled crumb. It suits sandwiches, toast and dipping in oil, and it is best eaten the day it is baked.
Ciabatta is an Italian white bread shaped like a flat, rectangular slipper, made from a very wet dough that bakes into a thin, crisp crust and an airy, hole-filled crumb. It is baked from wheat flour, water, salt, yeast and often a little olive oil, and it is used for sandwiches, toast and soaking up oil.
What is ciabatta?
Ciabatta is a rustic Italian loaf with a floury, golden crust and a soft, open inside full of irregular holes. The word means slipper in Italian, and the loaf is wide, flat and a little uneven, which is part of its look.
Ciabatta is made from a high-hydration dough, meaning the dough holds a large amount of water compared with the flour. Many recipes use 75 percent water or more by weight of flour. The wetness lets steam inflate the dough in the oven and creates the big bubbles that bakers prize.
The bread is also sold as ciabatta rolls and ciabatta buns, which use the same dough cut into small squares.
Where does ciabatta come from?
Ciabatta comes from the Veneto region of northern Italy and is a modern bread, not an ancient one. It is widely credited to a baker named Arnaldo Cavallari in Adria, who is said to have developed it in 1982 as an Italian answer to the French baguette.
The exact story varies between sources, and several bakers in the region have told versions of it. What is agreed is that the loaf spread quickly across Italy and then the world during the 1980s and 1990s, mostly as a sandwich bread.
Older Italian breads, such as the split loaf or pane toscano, have much longer histories. Ciabatta is the new arrival among them.
How is ciabatta made?
Ciabatta is made by mixing a very wet dough, giving it a long, slow rise, folding it rather than kneading it, and baking it hot with steam. The process takes time more than effort.
- Many bakers start with a pre-ferment, such as a biga or poolish, mixed from flour, water and a little yeast and left for 8 to 16 hours.
- The pre-ferment is mixed with more flour, water, salt and sometimes olive oil into a loose, sticky dough.
- The dough rests and is folded several times at intervals to build strength without heavy kneading.
- It is tipped onto a floured surface, cut into rectangles and left to puff briefly without being shaped tightly.
- It is baked at a high temperature, often around 230 °C, ideally with steam in the oven for the first few minutes.
The shaping is gentle on purpose. Pressing hard would squeeze out the gas that makes the holes.
What does ciabatta taste and feel like?
Ciabatta tastes mildly sweet and slightly tangy, with a chewy but tender bite. The crust is thin and crackles, while the crumb is moist, soft and full of holes of different sizes.
Compared with a sandwich loaf, ciabatta has more flavour from the long fermentation and a lighter, airier body. Compared with a baguette, it has a softer crust and a wetter crumb.
Because the crumb is open, it takes up olive oil, tomato juice and sauces well. That is why ciabatta is a regular choice for paninis, bruschetta and dipping.
Ciabatta vs other Italian breads: what is the difference?
Ciabatta differs from other breads mainly in its hydration, shape and texture. The table compares it with three loaves it is often confused with, describing each in general terms.
| Bread | Typical shape | Typical crust | Typical crumb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ciabatta | Flat, long rectangle | Thin, crisp, floury | Very open, large holes |
| Italian split loaf | Oval or long loaf with a slit | Thicker, crusty | Even, softer and denser |
| Focaccia | Flat sheet, dimpled | Soft, oily | Soft, moderately open |
| Baguette (French) | Long, thin stick | Thin, crackly | Open, chewy |
Ciabatta and focaccia are both flat and use olive oil, but focaccia is baked in a pan and topped, while ciabatta is baked free-standing. A baguette is the closest relative in crust and crumb, but it is French, longer and thinner.
How do you use ciabatta?
Ciabatta works best where its crust and open crumb matter: sandwiches, toasts and oil or sauce for dipping. Slice it horizontally for a sandwich, or cut it into thick slices for toast.
- Sandwiches and paninis: the firm crust holds up to a press and fillings such as grilled vegetables, mozzarella, tomato and basil, or roast chicken.
- Bruschetta: thick slices grilled and rubbed with garlic.
- Garlic bread: split and brushed with garlic butter, then baked.
- Dipping: torn pieces with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Croutons and breadcrumbs: stale ciabatta cubes toast well in the oven.
Because the crumb is wet, avoid piling very wet fillings onto untoasted ciabatta. A quick toasting of the cut sides keeps the bread from going soggy.
How do you store ciabatta?
Ciabatta keeps best for one day at room temperature in a paper bag, and after that it is best sliced and frozen. A plastic bag softens the crust, while a paper bag keeps it crisper.
To freeze it, slice the loaf or buns first, wrap them tightly and freeze for up to a few weeks. Refresh frozen slices straight from the freezer in a toaster. To revive a whole loaf, warm it in a 200 °C oven for 5 to 8 minutes until the crust crackles again.
Avoid storing ciabatta in the refrigerator. The cold speeds up staling and leaves the crumb dry.
Is ciabatta on the Truscott Italian Bakery menu?
Ciabatta is not named on the recorded menu of Truscott Italian Bakery & Delicatessen in Mississauga. The items recorded there include the Italian split loaf, a multigrain loaf, fresh buns and a spacatelli roll, according to listings and a 2009 food blog, checked on 13 November 2026.
That means a reader should not assume the shop bakes ciabatta on any given day. The shop publishes no menu or prices online, so the only way to find out what is on the shelves is to phone (905) 403-9550 or ask in store. The menu page of this guide lists the items that are recorded, and the hours and location page has the address and opening hours as listed.
This site is an independent guide and takes no orders.
Common questions
Why is ciabatta called the slipper bread?
Ciabatta is the Italian word for slipper. The long, flat, slightly lopsided shape of the loaf looks like a house slipper, and the name stuck after the bread appeared in northern Italy in the early 1980s.
Is ciabatta different from other white bread in nutrition?
Ciabatta is made from the same basic ingredients as other white wheat bread, so it is not a different food in nutrition terms. Its appeal is texture and flavour. Ask the bakery for ingredient details if you have dietary needs.
Can I make ciabatta without a stand mixer?
Yes. The dough is too wet to knead in the usual way, so bakers fold it in the bowl several times at intervals instead. Wet hands and a floured surface make the sticky dough manageable.
Why is my ciabatta dense instead of airy?
The usual causes are too little water, too short a rise, or handling the dough roughly so the gas bubbles collapse. Wet dough, a long slow rise and gentle shaping are what produce the open holes.
Does ciabatta go stale quickly?
Ciabatta stales faster than enriched breads because its crust is thin and its crumb is open. Eat it the day it is baked, then slice and freeze any leftovers to keep them usable.
For the address, opening hours and menu, see Truscott Italian Bakery & Delicatessen in Mississauga.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Truscott Italian Bakery & Delicatessen itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.