Holiday feasts tend to favor the comfort of tradition, but every family still has its own take on Thanksgiving dinner to some degree. In New Jersey's Italian American households, the turkey isn't the only Thanksgiving centerpiece.

A whopping 17.9% of the census-identified Italian American population lives in New Jersey, so it’s no surprise there are Italian traditions within the state. If you're invited to an Italian American household in the Garden State for Thanksgiving, you'll likely be treated to a plate of manicotti.

Manicotti might be replaced by another casserole-bound pasta dish like lasagna or baked ziti, but some form of pre-turkey pasta is par for the course. An Italian American Thanksgiving might also begin with a platter of cured meats, cheeses, and other antipasti.