An apparatus and method for depositing flowable material comprising a chamber housing that receives and deposits flowable material, a rotary valve shaft and a piston shaft inside the chamber housing, the piston shaft rotatable in synchronization with the rotary valve shaft, wherein the piston shaft and the rotary valve shaft form a volumetric pocket to receive the flowable material, wherein the piston shaft rotates between a position that expands the volumetric pocket to draw the flowable material into the volumetric pocket, and a position that compresses the volumetric pocket to urge flowable material from the volumetric pocket.

A method for cleaning die plates for the production of pasta or snacks includes:

a first step in which a working fluid is placed in contact with one of two end faces of the die plate to be cleaned, and

a second step, in which the pressure of the working fluid is increased to force the working fluid to penetrate the holes of the die plate in order to push the residue of the mixture, present in the holes, so that it exits from the opposite end face of the die. A machine for cleaning the die plates includes a jacket that internally defines a chamber, an opening, a component for introducing a working fluid into the chamber, and a component for increasing the pressure of the working fluid to force it to pass through the holes of the die plate which are occupied by the mixture to be removed.