Can dried pasta be laser cut?

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While making 9 butternut squash lasagnes with my wife the other day I found cutting the pasta sheets to fit into rounded corners a real pain. They tend to shatter when cut with scissors. I wondered if I could cut them with my Glowforge next year. Does anybody know if dried pasta can be laser cut?

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My guess would be yes. But I would be more concerned about the taste afterwards. :slight_smile:

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I don’t have an answer but I do know EXACTLY what you are talking about! Very interesting use case…

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That sounds like an awesome idea! I’m picturing lasagna with fun shapes in it!
But I would be cautions about using a laser to cut food if you cut non-food products in it. Maybe get a separate cutting tray only for food?

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I’m definitely going to try it before I put in any nasty materials in the Glowforge. A few folks mentioned it. I want to make a soup with Escher fishes and bird noodles.

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Put it in a shallow pan of water. That way you can cook it and cut it at the same time. :laughing: - Rich

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remember if making your own pasta - the Glowforge can make some incredible “cookie” cutters to make the shapes ( and much faster to do repeated shapes ! :heart_decoration:

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I have a house full of 2D printers so cookie cutters are no problem but I have never made pasta. Since most of the lasagnes went straight into the freezer after cooking I think fresh pasta would be a waste.

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Nothing beats freshly made fetuccini with a cream sauce. So simple but amazing in flavors. Best butter, heavy cream, authentic parmegiano reggiano. Variations: throw in some smoked salmon or put in some gorgonzola or blue cheese.

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You have me drooling…can I come to your house for dinner sometime? Please? - Rich

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Trying to get photos posted but my phone on cell data doesn’t seem be be able to finish the job. Will try later.

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The official answer of Dan usually is that:

we should not use the glowforge for food

… but as most people, we generally omit the “not” :sweat_smile:

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The word from Dan has always been that using a Glowforge for food is fine as long as that Glowforge is only used for food. I.E. Don’t cut acrylic and pasta in the same machine.
Though I may choose to forget about that from time to time.

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I bet it would cut just fine. After all, it can cut bone.

I also think that if you don’t use the same honeycomb for food and you wipe things down then it should be fine.

I wouldn’t set it on the same thing I set bone on BTW.

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Yes, there is really no reason this can’t be done, different plate and clean chamber. maybe some GF staff can chime in. - Rich

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That would be nice, but I think they will play it safe on this one.

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Gingerbread

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If I worked for GF, thats how I’d play it. But, i am a safety engineer by profession. It’s called CYA. - Rich

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Im gonna go on out on a limb here.
I would guess laser cutting it would add a bit of a charcoal flavor to your meal. But if your into that carbon after taste, go for it :wink:

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This something that I had planned on trying as well. Like everything else, it will take some playing with the settings. If a laser can cut paper without scorching, it might be able to handle a little pasta.

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