Glossary of food terms: C

Ciabatta

Ciabatta means 'slipper' in Italian and describes the appearance of this oval, flattish yeast bread with an open texture and a crisp, floury crust. It's flavoured with olive oil and is often used as the base for bruschetta.

Slice it at an angle and serve with olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper for dipping or make sandwiches filled with Italian meats, cheese and tomatoes. It's best eaten on the day of purchase but it does keep for a couple of days in a bread bin or can be frozen for a couple of months.

• Roasted red onion, artichoke and blue cheese ciabatta pizza
• Seared lamb fillet on ciabatta with stilton butter
• Ciabatta