The “rollò di ricotta” is a typical dessert from Nissena. There are no documents or reliable information to adequately reconstruct its history, but some reasonable hypotheses can be advanced. Unlike other specialties, it is not linked to any particular holiday or tradition.
In Caltanissetta, it is eaten throughout the year and is served on all occasions. Its origins are probably recent, in the early decades of the twentieth century when Sicily was invaded by talented chefs from the Swiss pastry school who taught their techniques and the use of their products. The famous pastry masters Caflish, Caviezel, and Greuter had indeed arrived in Sicily between the late 1800s and the early 1900s, introducing new processing techniques into the tradition, in addition to butter and cream.
The Nisseno rollò is characterized by the presence of ricotta and almond paste, typical products of Nisseno, otherwise it could be mistaken for any Swiss-Austrian rollò. “Rollò” literally means “rolled-up,” and the rolling is the most delicate moment of its preparation.
The ingredients used for its creation are: eggs, powdered almonds, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, honey, green almond paste, sweetened ricotta, dark chocolate, and chopped pistachios. The city of Caltanissetta has won the Guinness World Records for making the longest rollò in the world.