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Barilla to let diners design their own pasta

Bored of penne or farfalle? Fear not, Italian pasta giant Barilla is working on a design for a machine which would allow restaurant diners to design and "print" their pasta in any shape they want.

Published: 9 January 2014 15:01 CET
Barilla to let diners design their own pasta
Photo: Guy Renard 25/Flickr

Barilla, which is the world's biggest exporter of pasta, has been working with the Netherlands-based TNO, a scientific research organisation, for the past two years to come up with a way of blending fine dining with 3D printing, La Repubblica reported.

The aim is to create a pasta printer that would let diners and restaurant owners design their own pasta, with custom-made designs taking no longer to make than a classic pasta shape.

Kjeld van Bommel, a designer for TNO, told La Repubblica he was hopeful for the project, though it still needs some refinement. “We are working on improving the speed of the printer,” he said, adding that it was already ten times faster than the first models two years ago.

He pointed out that the printers allow the ordinary consumer to put their own stamp on a restaurant meal.

“For example, you could surprise your wife with pasta in the shape of a rose for your marriage anniversary. You simply save your design in a USB and bring it to the restaurant. The 3D food printer there will print it on site.”

Experimental prototypes of the machine are currently being trialed in several Dutch restaurants, but it is not the printers themselves that Barilla is hoping to make money from. On the contrary, the company plans to manufacture and sell the dough mixtures to be used in the printers. These mixtures would be put into a cartridge, in the same way ink is fed into an ordinary printer.

Although high-end printers designed to make food do already exist, Barilla is the first large food brand to have shown a commitment to working with the printers.

3D printers are expected to revolutionize production techniques in a variety of industries, replacing traditional factory production lines with a single machine which can build almost anything, making different objects out of different materials. 

After making headlines in 2013 with a statement that gay couples would never be featured in his adverts, company boss Guido Barilla seems keen to draw a line under the controversy, with several new strategies for 2014. As well as 'printed pasta', the company is aiming to target the Russian market and expand their range of gluten-free products.

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FOOD AND DRINK

Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

As well as its most famous cocktails, Italy has a long tradition of making refreshing aperitivo drinks without the alcohol.

Published: 11 April 2024 12:01 CEST
Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

Italy’s favourite aperitivo-hour cocktails are known far beyond the country’s borders, so their names will probably be familiar to you whether you drink them or not.

But if you’re in Italy and not drinking alcohol, you might find yourself stumped when it comes time to order your aperitivo at the bar.

The first time I found myself in this situation, there was no menu. The waiter instead rattled off a long list of all the soft drinks available, most of which I’d never heard of, and I just picked something I thought sounded nice.

Luckily it turns out that Italy has some great options for an aperitivo analcolico. As well as ‘virgin’ versions of well-known cocktails, there are bitters, sodas and other Italian-made soft drinks that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

They might not be quite as iconic as the Aperol Spritz, but they’re as thoroughly Italian – plus, effortlessly ordering one of these will make you look like a true local.

SanBittèr

San Pellegrino’s SanBittèr is one of the most famous non-alcoholic Italian drinks of all, with its highly-recognisable red packaging, often enjoyed in place of Campari cocktails because of its similar dark, ruby-red color.

This drink is carbonated with a slightly sweet, citrus flavor. The recipe is more complex than that of an orange or lemon soda, with notes of spice and herbs, making it ideal to pair with your aperitivo-hour snacks.

Crodino

Crodino looks a lot like an Aperol Spritz with its bright orange hue, and that’s not an accident: it’s said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative, and the zesty, slightly herbal taste is similar. It’s typically served the same way. in a round goblet glass over ice with a slice of orange: a Crodino Spritz.

The name comes from the town of Crodo in Piedmont, where it is still bottled today by the Campari group.

Chinotto

Citrusy Chinotto is an acquired taste for many, but it’s worth trying: it’s one of the classic Italian bitters and is said to have a long history, dating back to a recipe shared by Chinese sailors arriving on the Ligurian coast in the 1500s.

It may look a little like Coca Cola, but don’t let the appearance fool you.

(Photo by Eugene Gologursky /Getty Images via AFP)

Aranciata/Limonata

Aranciata is Italy’s version of an orange soda, but not as sugary, and it tastes like oranges. Its base is sparkling water with the addition of orange juice and sugar. There are various brands, but San Pellegrino’s is the most popular. It also sells a ‘bitter’ aranciata amaro, with even less sugar, more citrus tang and herbal notes, which might be more aperitivo-hour appropriate.

Limonata is, as you might guess, the Italian answer to lemonade. Again there are many versions out there but the fizzy San Pellegrino limonata is beloved for its strong, sweet-sour flavour and there’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Cedrata

Cedrata is one of Italy’s oldest and best-known non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a refreshing, carbonated drink made from a large citrus fruit called a cedro, grown in southern Italy. It’s far less bitter than a Chinotto, but not as sweet as limonata.

The main producer of Cedrata today is Tassoni, and this is what you’re likely to get if you order it at a bar.

Gingerino

This is harder to find than the other aperitivi on the list and is seen as decidedly retro, but it’s worth trying if you can track it down.

It’s another orange-coloured, sparkling drink which became popular in Italy in the 1970s and is still sold today, though you’re more likely to find it in the north-east, close to Venice, where it’s produced.

You may be expecting it to taste a lot like ginger beer, and there are similarities, but it has stronger citrus notes and more bitterness.

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