A scientist from Barcelona Giuseppe Scionti has brought both haute cousine and 3D-printing together by creating an alternative to meat that can be printed out.

Scionti has spent three years developing his creation, and his “steaks” are made entirely of plants, and manage the difficult feat of imitating the texture of meat.

The special 3D printer uses syringes with paste to produce long noodles that are merged into a tiny steak. It takes between 30 and 50 minutes to create a 100-gram piece of such meat.

The ingredients that go into a steak are protein powder (from rice or peas) and seaweed components – food that is normally consumed by vegetarians and vegans as dietary supplements.

He sees his idea as a way to reduce the impact of animal agriculture, and also wants to present the project to the World Food Organization because the meat could be produced with specific properties to combat malnutrition.

And there might even be a niche for his steaks in the world of molecular cuisine. Scionti says some Spanish restaurants are interested in something that looks like a steak but tastes like a mushroom.