There are certain universals that have inspired great artists throughout history: nature, religious glory, the female form, pizza. And in the case of the latter, although New York's old masters from Lombardi's and Grimaldi's to Difara had already cooked up the canon of tomato, cheese and crust, Nick's Pizza in Forest Hills is bringing great art to the table on a round metal tray. Established in 1993, Nick's is a relative newcomer to the pantheon of top pizzerias. The pies are cooked at extreme temperatures in a gas oven which, though it doesn't have the romance of coal, has something even better: temperature control. That means the pies are consistent from visit to visit, and they can be executed with very little extra oil, making for an almost greaseless pizza experience. The thin crust has enough body that you can hold a slice without folding it, but enough give that your jaw won't hurt from chewing. You can't beat the purity of a white pie, with creamy ricotta and a thin coating of mozzarella, except perhaps with a pie topped by crumbled sausage redolent with fennel and extra sauce. -- Erin Franzman (Photo: Noah Kalina)