519. How to Break Bread

Brachos 7:3

The one who breaks bread may not do so until salt or relishes have been placed before each person unless the intention is to eat bread by itself. He should not break off a small piece because this will make him look cheap, nor a piece larger than an egg because this will make him look like a glutton. On Shabbos, one may break off a large piece. The bread should be broken at the place where it has been the most thoroughly baked.

Brachos 7:4

The optimum way to perform the mitzvah is to break a whole loaf. If one has a whole loaf of barley bread and a sliced loaf of wheat bread, he should put the sliced loaf and the whole loaf together so that he will break both a loaf of wheat (which is the preferable grain) and a whole loaf. On Shabbos and yom tov, one must break bread on two whole loaves. He should hold both loaves in his hands and then break one.