What makes pizza so special? It must be the thin, crispy crust. (No? You prefer deep-dish, Chicago-style?) Then it has to be the cheesy topping. (Except for that fantastic version you had with just olive oil and fresh mushrooms...)   

A true American staple, pizza is the comfort food of millions. Its fanatics range from junk-food junkies to haute-cuisine haughties; its interpretations from cheap, late-night snack to reinterpreted, culinary masterpiece.  Tonight in the Cooking Channel premiere of United States of America, Jeffrey Saad searches out all them.  

It was the Italians, of course, who brought pizza with them to America, and New York City is where it all started—Manhattan has over 500 pizzerias alone! As the first licensed pizzeria in America (in 1905),  Lombardi's Pizza still draws in the crowds: 

At Pulino's, they make their own fresh pizza sausage fresh. What goes into their mix? Watch executive chef Nate Appleman show how how it's made: 

Hot from the oven, fresh sausage and basil peak through a melted layer of grana padano and fresh mozzarella cheeses:

Want to train with the best? Tony Gemignani at the International School of Pizza in San Fancisco is the only certified Master of Pizza in the U.S. His Chicago-style pie is a study in deep-dish crust, hand-crushed tomatoes, and two kinds of sausage: 

How about Indian Pizza? Jeffrey found it on the west coast at Zante Pizza. A spicy, spinach sauce on a naan-style pizza dough stretches pizza in new directions: 

Still hungry for more? We bet you've never seen sushi pizza. That's right! The folks at Zen Restaurant have made a truly unique dish: 

Discover each of these gems tonight with Jeffery at 9:30pm eastern / 8:30pm central. 

Learn more about Jeffrey Saad.