Simple and authentic Parmigiana pizza

Pizza is one of America’s favorite foods. But a growing number of consumers are craving a kind of pizza that harkens back to pizza as it was first made, in all its authentic and simple glory.

Parmigiana, or Parmesan, pizza has grown as consumers crave more dimension and flavor than the traditional straight mozzarella pies, and instead go for pizzas with a snowy dusting of salty cheese.

The classic Italian cheese Parmesan is sometimes paired with a less-traditional sauce, like pesto, or as a mashup of classics like chicken and eggplant parm.

According to market research firm Datassential, Parmigiana Pizza appears on 2.1% of U.S. restaurant menus, a 9% increase over the past four years.

Click through the gallery to learn more about this Flavor of the Week and see how one restaurant is using Parmigiana pizza on its menu.