Daily Slice gives a quick snapshot each weekday of a different slice or pie that the folks at the Serious Eats empire have enjoyed lately.
Perhaps the pizza cognition theory rings particularly true for me, but I generally don't enjoy cheeseless, sauceless pies. A good white pizza? Sure, especially if there's garlic involved. A marinara pie? Not my first choice, but I enjoy the occasional slice. But a pizza with neither sauce nor cheese? I've only come across a few in my time, and even fewer that tasted good.
Fortunately, Slice'rs in Manhattan can find a standout sauce and cheese-free slice at Grandaisy Bakery. The Funghi ($3.25) almost seems too simple to work, featuring only sea salt, a bit of oil, and an abundance of cooked cremini mushrooms and onions. Yet, as with its pizza bianca, Grandaisy works wonders with the few ingredients. Even at room temperature, the crust is perfectly crisp, the onions rich and sweet and the mushrooms offer a nice mix of crispy and meaty bits. Sea salt ensures that you get the full umami experience from the creminis. Though it's not the first image that comes to mind when one thinks pizza, it has carved out a little space in my pie memory. For a light lunch or afternoon snack, I couldn't ask for much more.
Grandaisy Bakery
Multiple Locations in Manhattan (map)
212-334-9435; grandaisybakery.com