Artisia’s head of Design & Technology, Antonio Gagliardi, explains how cutting-edge technology has led to unique flavour profiles and serving possibilities, while establishing a new creative language for premium artisanal pasta.

Why did Barilla create the Artisia brand?
Artisia originated from a question: what if technology could enable the creation of previously impossible pasta shapes? In 2013, we initiated experiments to explore potential solutions. We quickly recognised that there were no comparable pasta products on the market, so our innovation extended beyond shape to include new consumption methods for pasta. This vision has materialised via collaborations with many premium brands, where custom shapes were served in high-end culinary settings, showing how innovation can coexist with elegance and tradition.

Tell us about Artisia’s cutting-edge technology.
Ensuring perfect alignment between the printing plane and each nozzle is essential. Whereas conventional 3D printers typically operate with a single nozzle, our system employs 36 of them. This approach has enabled collaborations with chefs and brands seeking unique formats, like the Sea Urchin shape, which releases a subtle marine aroma, or a custom pasta recipe, served with mango cream and chocolate mousse. These examples show how technical innovation translates into culinary storytelling.

What aesthetic and design choices can be made that were not possible in traditional pasta-making?
The optimal solution is a pasta shape with a container-like geometry. About 99 per cent of traditional varieties (excluding tortellini) are not designed to be filled, so that allows this new form to be enjoyed as finger food, like an aperitivo. In terms of texture, significant innovation has also been achieved.

How do you ensure that the proud traditions of Italian cuisine are respected?
Achieving al dente texture is essential for us, contributing not only to authentic taste but also to pasta shapes that retain their integrity. This led to the creation of Spaghetto 3D and Lasagna 3D – products that encapsulate key sensorial aspects of Italian tradition in one bite: the unrolling noodle sensation and the distinct multilayered lasagna experience. These shapes are tested with classic sauces and fillings, ensuring that they perform well while offering a new way to present them.

Are there implications for food sustainability?
We only print what’s needed for production and quality checks, resulting in near-zero waste. 3D printing is inherently sustainable.

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A selection of 3D-printed pasta shapes from Artisia: