Selim Lai

The key to cutting ciabatta cleanly is having the right tools and a steady hand. Since the crust is rustic and often tough, and the inside (the crumb) is full of air pockets, you need a knife that can handle both without squishing the bread.

• Tool: Definitely use a serrated bread knife. It's the only tool that will saw through the crust without flattening the beautiful internal structure.
• Action: For a long loaf, I always cut it horizontally from end to end first. This gives you two large slabs—the top and the bottom of your super-sandwich.
• The Build: Load up the ingredients on the bottom piece, then place the top on.
• Final Slice: Slice the giant sandwich crosswise into serving-size rectangles. This is how they make those beautiful, deli-style sandwiches where the fillings don't spill out. It's often used for making panini (the plural of panino, meaning small sandwich).

You want to make sure you use a gentle back-and-forth sawing motion; don't try to press straight down, or you'll flatten the bread!