Di Fara Pizzeria   

About half the patrons of this Midwood pizzeria know pizza-man Dominic DeMarco well enough to call him by name. He's a grizzled old gent, with a deliberate manner and fingertips coated with flour. Regulars come seeking a "one-and-one" -- one ordinary slice; one Sicilian. It's the best way to get to know DiFara's smoky, spare and perfectly balanced pie. The Sicilian cooks in a rectangular baking dish. First Mr. DeMarco spreads a medium-thick layer of dough on the bottom of the dish, adds a little olive oil (nothing too fancy) and a tiny ladle of sauce. When the crust rises to fill the pan, he takes it out, adds more of the fragrant, rosemary-tinged sauce and painstakingly grates fresh mozzarella and two kinds of hard cheese before returning it to the oven for a bit of melting and bubbling. It's an exacting process, so be prepared to wait. If the finished product isn't the best square slice in the city, it's certainly worth a trip out on the Q train to decide for yourself.