Angela Catanzaro is the eldest daughter of Italian immigrant parents and thus inherited the task of cooking for their large family. Catanzaro worked as a volunteer for the Red Cross during the war and served dinners to servicemen every Sunday. Of those she served, many asked for recipes, so she decided to publish The Home Book of Italian Cooking in 1955. Following the release, she rose to star status as the book became a best seller. Building on her success she published Italian Desserts and Antipasto Alla Mamma Mia: The Home Book of Italian Delicacies in 1958, and Italian Casserole Cooking in 1970.