23 Iconic Breads Around the World

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Ciabatta - Italy

The rustic Italian bread known as ciabatta has a distinct wide, flat and elongated shape (hence its name, "slipper") with an airy hole-filled crumb and soft, chewy texture. Its preparation varies somewhat throughout the different regions of Italy, but it's generally made from wheat flour, salt, water, yeast and olive oil.

Interestingly enough, it's actually one of the "youngest" breads on this list, having been created in 1982, to overcome the rising popularity of French baguettes in Italy. Today, it's one of the most popular Italian bread varieties in Europe, the UK and the US, predominantly used to make bakery and artisan-style sandwiches. Ciabatta also makes for a delicious bread side, for dunking in soups, soaking up saucy dishes or as an appetizer with nothing more than high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar.