Discover 5 Types of Italian Bread (2024)

November 16, 2018

There is something almost magical about the smell of fresh, warm, crunchy bread, and it is hard to picture enjoying Italian cuisine without indulging in some delicious Italian bread. This weekend, celebrate National Bread Day by indulging in or trying out some of our favorite Italian breads.

Ciabatta

Ciabatta is not a new bread for you, more than likely, as it has become very popular over the last few years. Ciabatta is made with yeast and wheat flour and comes in many varieties and flavors, with additions such as rosemary or roasted garlic. The bread shape is broad and flat, with a slight collapsed area in the middle. The interior is light and very porous with a very crispy crust.

Farinata or Cecina

Farinata and Cecina are virtually identical except for their names. They are a flatbread, reminiscent of pizza dough. Each is made from water, olive oil, and chickpea flour and often seasoned with sea salt, rosemary, and pepper. The result is a thin, crisp pancake that is delicious.

Colomba Pasquale

This is a delicious bread that is traditionally baked on Easter, but don’t let that deter you from giving it a go now (you could perfect the recipe and add it to your Easter plans next spring). The bread is made from natural yeast, butter, flour, sugar, and eggs and it is shaped into a dove and coated with slivered almonds and coarse sugar before baking. This sweeter than usual bread is better suited as a snack or dessert than an appetizer with oil and spices.

Focaccia

Focaccia is another Italian bread that has exploded in popularity. It is a relative of pizza, that is oven baked and flat in shape. It is often seasoned with rosemary, sage, and sea salt before baking, and used in sandwiches like the panini.

Panettone

With Christmas looming on the horizon, we had to mention at least one of the sweet Italian breads traditionally served on Christmas day. Panettone comes from Milan and is made from an acidic dough that is cured and then shaped into a copula extending from a cylindrical base. The sweet bread is flavored with raisins, lemon zest, citron, and candied orange and is delicious served with mascarpone or chocolate and paired with an Italian coffee.

For more than 12 years, Basta Pasta has given Maryland diners delicious Italian food from local and fresh ingredients. Enjoy delicious pasta dishes, unlimited salad and breadsticks, and fine wine at one of our locations in Timonium, Fallston, Perry Hall, or Eldersburg. Contact us online or give us a call at the location-specific phone number listed here. Read our menu and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter! If you don’t feel like going out, order our signature crab cakes online and enjoy delicious Basta Pasta from home!