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I tried this and I had a few problems I'm hoping someone can correct...
1. My pan got WAY hot on the burner and turned ashen in the middle. The burner coil coating flaked off when I removed the pan to put it under the broiler. Maybe I left it on too long (25 minutes or so)?
2. The dough was really difficult to manage being so thin and flimsy. It was hard to maneuver accurately, and dealing with such extreme heat, I decided to put the pie on the upside down skillet before placing it under the broiler. It cooked while I was holding it.
3. 1 minute 35 seconds under the broiler was maybe too long as the bottom turned to coal.
4. Have to say, all this aside, that was one delicious pie. Willing to try again with a few adjustments, provided I didn't ruin my pan or my stove coil.

@pizzablogger From looks alone, I'd vote for the slice from Artichoke. I've had one too and I found it to be very similar to DiFara. And the wait was shorter. But the pizzaiolo didn't have the charm of Gepeto. If you would have conferred with me prior to your journey I would have sent you to my favorite slice joint, New Park Pizza in Howard Beach. Here's my favorite slice shot:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauliegee/482091957/in/set-72157607581050058/

The Sicilian is just OK:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauliegee/752072964/in/set-72157607581050058/

Ciao,

Paulie Gee

I stumbled upon Tomato and Basil last weekend as I was coming out of the subway on my way to a birthday party. I was very hungry and went in to get a quick slice and a Coke, and it was soooo good I had to order a second slice. I don't get in to that neighborhood often, but when I do a stop at T&B will be the first order of business.

I cant imagine making a marinara without basil, oregano, fresh black pepper or crushed red flake, and a bay leaf. Is the purpose of the carrot to take the acidic edge off of the tomatoes?

Also, I have seen real Italians add celery to their sauce as well. Not for me, thanks. btw, my mother was born in Venice of Italian parents, so that makes me anglo-venetian, but I learned to make sauce from my southern Italian buds.

I just saw this posting yesterday and tried it tonight. I used Mark Bittman's Basic Pizza Dough. I used 2 cups KA bread flour and 1 cup KA white whole wheat flour. I heated my cast iron skillet in the oven while it was preheating (I don't quite understand why you would put it on the stove and then put it in the oven). Then I slid my pizza in and my gosh! This was gorgeous. Thin in the middle with a nice thick brown crust. The bottom could hold its own and it was cooked so fast. I will never go back to cooking pizza on a cold pan again at a low heat!

I always put tomatoes through a food mill (smallest holes) to remove skins and seeds, which contribute the the bitter flavor people comment about. Nearly everyone I know puts sugar in their tomato sauce, even people "off the boat". Whenever I hear this, I know they aren't straining the tomatoes. It's a lot of work and makes a big mess, but I wouldn't make tomato sauce without doing it.

We order Big Bob Gibson from Alabama.
Also Rudy's BBQ in Albuquerque has a really tasty sauce.

dinosaur...rawrrrr

or pierce's pitt barbeque from williamsburg va

Just a note: you can buy griddles designed to cover two eyes of the stove at once. They are reversible, with grill marks on one side and a flat surface on the other. If you used one of these, you could do 2 8-inch pies at once!!! Search "cast iron griddle double reversible" on Amazon, and you'll see some good results. Many are also available for about $20 at Macy's and the like during specials. You can find them at ross and other discounters also.

Homemade dough is *not* a pain. I use Mark Bittman's recipe/technique (I found it in "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"), which uses a food processor to knead the dough. If you can measure ingredients and push the button on a food processor, you can have excellent dough in as little as an hour. The actual dough-making takes all of 5 minutes, then you just let it rise for an hour (or more, if you can spare it). Roll it out and throw it into the oven, and voila, a damn tasty, perfectly textured crust as thick or thin as you like it.

Try it and I swear you'll never want to buy a pre-made crust (or pizza) again. And it's at least as pain-free as the skillet/broiler finagling.

I had a daycare for 28 years, tried everything on those kiddies but their favorite was american. Adults, like to try it with their favorite cheese. I like monterey jack the best. But tomato soup to dunk is the best.

I do this with the walmart deli pizza, and add a few things, amazing how good they are, thanks for the tip!

I stopped by a really good place on the Upper East Side. It was called Last Licks. I felt like a kid again. It is a sports themed ice cream parlor. Flavors are named after various athletes. Tikitacchio (yeah like Tiki Barber) was amazing, It had chocolate and pistacchios. Its on East 93 Street. They have a candy store inside as well. Really really good!