Vegan Charcoal Tagliatelle

Impress your dinner guests with this easy to make activated charcoal tagliatelle. Much easier to work with than squid ink, activated charcoal has claims to benefit your digestive tract. You can buy Activated Charcoal from health shops but a few supermarkets also keep it. The recipe provides for 4 - 6 portions.

500ml bread flour

15ml activated charcoal powder

1,2ml salt

about 250ml water

Add the bread flour, charcoal and salt to a large mixing bowl and stir through with your hands.

Start adding the water to the flour mixture. Do not add all of the water at once as it might be too much liquid. Add some water, mix through, if you need more water add some and mix through..... You should have enough water for the dough to come together comfortably without it feeling and sounding soggy. Remember: you can add more water if you need it but you can not remove it.

Now transfer the dough to a work surface and knead it for a full 5 minutes. If you rest/cheat in between, you should knead some more. You are looking for a silky smooth dough that springs back when you lightly indent it with your finger.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Put the dough through your pasta machine and then through the tagliatelle cutter.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes.

Drain the tagliatelle and drizzle with a good olive oil.

Serve with fresh tomato, basil and olives.