The stereotype of the Italian nonna, or grandmother, attempting to feed you until you burst holds true — especially at the holidays. No sooner had any family member walked through her door than my own nonna would lay out a tablescape of antipasti, already arranged and plated under a sheath of plastic wrap, waiting in the fridge for just the occasion: simply the occasion of your arrival.

Christmastime is when the Italian urge to feed others feels the strongest. The delis are packed with shoppers eyeing sopressata and provolone for their large family gatherings, but nothing says Italian holidays like the cookie spread — and the bakery case is almost always a bloodbath, customers clamoring to get the last, prized pignolo.