USA TODAY International Edition
NEW YORK- STYLE
The best known and most imitated style is classic New York pizza, which boomed with the popularization of gas ovens. This allowed for easy reheating, and the common introduction of sales by the slice, which made pizza much more affordable and accessible and turned it into a handheld street food. Shredded processed mozzarella did better at lower oven temperatures than classic chunks of fresh mozzarella, and New York- style pizza is completely covered with cheese, rather than dotted. The crust is very thin; at its best it is just stiff enough to support the toppings, and still chewy. While copied everywhere, this style is notoriously difficult to get at its best outside the New York metropolitan area.
DI FARA PIZZA, BROOKLYN This tiny neighborhood joint has been on the same block for more than 40 years, always owned by the same man and now pizza legend, Domenico DeMarco, who has personally handmade most of the pies. He blends fresh buffalo mozzarella, fior di latte, and Parmigiana- Reggiano, drizzles on extra virgin olive oil and cuts fresh basil over each with scissors. In a world where people wait in line for food way too indiscriminately, this is one of the few worth the effort.
JOE & PAT’S, STATEN ISLAND Those in the city’s least- visited borough take their pizza seriously. Joe & Pat’s is the pinnacle, and a good excuse to ride the ferry, with highquality cheese elevating its pies. It looks the part, with a long to- go counter and booths.