History

L&B Spumoni Gardens dates its 86th Street location to 1939, when it began as a pushcart, and its pillowy square pies are sold by the slice; slices come plain, and toppings need a whole pie. Grandma pizza, the home-oven cousin, is a thin square pie popularized on Long Island, and Williamsburg Pizza sells its grandma pies square only.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Makes one 12 by 18 inch pan, 12 squaresHands-on 45 minTotal 24 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 4 cups (512 g) bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons (12 g) kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast
  • 2 cups (455 g) lukewarm water
  • Olive oil for the dough, the bowl and the pan
  • Butter for the pan
  • 12 ounces (340 g) sliced whole-milk mozzarella (12 slices)
  • 1 1/2 cups (370 g) tomato sauce made from ground tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, garlic and salt
  • Grated Pecorino Romano and dried oregano for dusting

Method

  1. Whisk the flour, salt and yeast, add the water, and mix to a sticky ball. Rub the top with olive oil and refrigerate for 18 to 48 hours.
  2. Butter a 12 by 18 inch sheet pan and pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into the center.
  3. Turn the cold dough into the pan, coat it in the oil, and rest 3 hours. With oiled hands, dimple and stretch it toward the corners; if it springs back, rest 30 minutes and stretch again.
  4. Heat the oven to 500 F (260 C) with a steel or stone on a middle or lower rack, and parbake the dough for 10 to 11 minutes until evenly golden.
  5. Lower the oven to 475 F (245 C). Lay the mozzarella slices over the dough with a 3/4 inch border, then spoon sauce over the cheese and spread it out.
  6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is just browning in spots. Cut into 12 squares and dust with Pecorino and oregano.

Tip from the editors. Slice the cheese rather than grating it and put the sauce on top, so the sauce reduces as the pie bakes.

Where to eat sicilian square pie

Sicilian square pie in Brooklyn

L&B Spumoni Gardens ★ 4.4

$$ PizzeriaBensonhurst

L&B Spumoni Gardens on 86th Street in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, has sold pillowy square pies and spumoni since 1939, with an outdoor setup for warm days.

OrderA square slice, then a cup of spumoni to finish.

TipSlices come plain; toppings are for whole pies. In summer the outdoor setup makes it an easy place to bring a crowd.

Directions

Luigi's Pizza ★ 4.4

$ PizzeriaPark Slope

Luigi's Pizza is a family-run 5th Avenue pizzeria in Park Slope, Brooklyn, open since 1973, selling cheese slices for $3.50 and Sicilian squares for $4.

TryCheese slice and Sicilian square

TipCash only. Garlic knots are six for $2, so a slice with a few knots makes a meal for well under $10.

Directions

Williamsburg Pizza ★ 4.0

$ PizzeriaWilliamsburgUntil Thu 02:00, Fri-Sat 03:00

Williamsburg Pizza is a slice shop on Union Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, open to 02:00 on Thursdays and 03:00 on weekends, known for grandma slices.

TryGrandma square pie

TipKnown for its Grandma pizza, Margherita, Cup & Char Grandma, garlic knots and a truffle mushroom pie; vegan pizza is offered.

Directions

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