There’s something deeply nostalgic about having a meal prepared for you by your grandmother or grandfather—eating a dish that’s been passed down from generation to generation. This special dish is often not written down, but kept stored away in a grandparent’s head, a recipe whose ingredients and proportions may change with the weather.

But a new cookbook is looking to preserve those coveted family recipes and guarantee that everyone can recreate them at home. “Pasta Grannies” captures the hearts and stomachs of Italian nonnas, revealing the secrets of some of Italy’s unsung home cooks.