Ciabatta (literally, carpet slipper because of its shape) is an Italian white brea made with wheat flour and yeast. It is pronounced correctly IPA: /ˌtʃaˈbatːa/ cha-BAT-ta, but often in English IPA: /ˌsiəˈbatə/ see-a-BAT-a. The loaf is somewhat elongated, broad and flattish and, like a slipper, should be somewhat collapsed in the middle. Since the late 1990s it has been popular across Europe and in the United States, and is widely used as a sandwich bread.