History

Square Sicilian slices arrived in New York via Sicilian immigrant bakeries in the early 20th century, evolving from the southern Italian sfincione (a thick olive-oil-and-tomato focaccia). The modern Brooklyn grandma slice (thinner, garlicky tomato, fresh mozzarella) emerged in Long Island and Brooklyn delicatessens in the 1990s as a thinner, less bready alternative to the classic Sicilian. L&B Spumoni Gardens in Gravesend (opened 1939) is the canonical destination for the upside-down Sicilian (mozzarella under the sauce, then crisp cheese edges). Best Pizza in Williamsburg and Prince Street Pizza in Nolita both run modern grandma and square slices.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 12Hands-on 45 minTotal 24 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g 00 or strong bread flour
  • 10g fine sea salt
  • 5g instant yeast
  • 30ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the pan
  • 330ml lukewarm water
  • For the sauce: 1 (800g) tin whole San Marzano tomatoes, hand-crushed
  • 4 garlic cloves grated
  • 30ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 5g salt
  • 5g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 300g fresh whole-milk mozzarella, torn into pieces
  • 50g grated Pecorino Romano
  • Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing

Method

  1. Mix flour, salt, yeast in a bowl. Add olive oil and water; stir to a sticky dough. Knead 5 minutes by hand, or 3 minutes in a stand mixer, until smooth.
  2. Cover; cold-ferment in the fridge for 24 hours (the slow rise builds flavour and structure).
  3. Generously oil a 25cm by 35cm rimmed baking tray (a quarter-sheet pan).
  4. Turn the dough into the tray. Stretch by pressing with oiled fingertips to the edges of the pan. If the dough resists, rest 10 minutes and continue. Cover; rise 90 minutes at room temperature until doubled and bubbly.
  5. Heat the oven to 260C / 500F (use a baking steel or pizza stone if you have one).
  6. Mix the tomato sauce: combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl; do not cook.
  7. For a grandma-style slice: dot the dough with torn mozzarella, then spoon raw tomato sauce over in a thin layer. For an upside-down Sicilian: spread the sauce first, then the mozzarella, then a second drizzle of sauce on top.
  8. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown, the bottom is crisp (lift a corner with a spatula to check), and the cheese is bubbling.
  9. Lift the whole slab onto a wire rack to stop the bottom steaming.
  10. Finish with grated Pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil. Cut into 12 squares with a sharp knife.

Tip from the editors. A 24-hour cold ferment separates focaccia from a Sicilian crust; the slow rise builds open structure and flavour. Use a quarter-sheet pan with a high rim.

Where to eat sicilian square slice

Sicilian square slice in New York City

L&B Spumoni Gardens ★ 4.0

Sicilian$$bensonhurstDaily 11:00-23:30Until Daily until 24:00

L&B Spumoni Gardens on 86th Street has sold Sicilian-style square slices in Bensonhurst Brooklyn New York City since 1939. Booking recommended.

Try: Sicilian square slice

Tip: The square slice with the cheese under the sauce is the house signature. Drive or take the N train to 86th.

2725 86th St, Brooklyn, NY 11223

Best Pizza ★ 4.3

Pizzeria$williamsburgSun-Thu 11:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-00:00

Best Pizza in Williamsburg Brooklyn has sold $4 New York slices in New York City since 2010. At 33 Havemeyer St. Booking recommended. Reservations advised.

Try: $4 white slice

Tip: The white slice with sesame seeds is the cult order. Cash only; the line moves fast.

33 Havemeyer St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Prince Street Pizza ★ 4.5

Sicilian$nolitaWed 10:00-00:00, Sat 10:00-05:00, Sun 10:00-03:00

Prince Street Pizza in Nolita has sold the cult $6 spicy spring square slice in New York City since 2012. Sicilian crust, cup-and-char pepperoni.

Try: Spicy pepperoni square slice

Tip: Lines at 13:00 weekends run 45 minutes. Off-hours at 15:00-17:00 are the easy walk-up; the slice still holds heat.

27 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012

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