Bread and circuses.

If you look at the stack of books on my coffee table, you'll find the following:

• Back to Basics and Barefoot in Paris (two Barefoot Contessa cookbooks I reference constantly)
• The Ramen King and I (a Christmas gift/novel)
• In Defense of Food (my latest Michael Pollan read)
• World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (which I've had since last fall but have been too afraid to open and read)
• The Hunger Games (on loan and read twice now since November)

With the exception of WWZ, you can see yet again how food permeates all aspects of my life (though I have a sneaking suspicion WWZ deals with the subject anyway).

The Hunger Games is my latest literary obsession, as I gobbled up each book in about a day. The trilogy is about a post-apocalyptic world where twelve Districts must sacrifice a boy and girl annually to fight to the death for the Capitol's entertainment. This Gladiator-meets-The-Most-Dangerous-Game-meets-Lord-of-the-Flies story is one of those types of books that you're totally engrossed in, then you put it down and realize in horror what you're actually reading about. But once you remember why people write these kinds of books and get past the macabre plot, you can get down to the literary enjoyment. The books reminded me so much of the stories I loved to read when I had time more time to love to read -- survival, competition, love triangles, detailed descriptions of the "other" world -- a recipe for success in my mind.

So by the time the much-anticipated movie adaptation opened in theaters this weekend, I had seen all the trailers, looked through the cast, and found this collection of recipes published by The Huffington Post. They captured the lamb stew, rosemary-orange chicken, the various times bread appears in the story, and more. 

The recipe I chose was the first, a multigrain seeded boule. The description (NO SPOILERS AHEAD, for those of you who haven't read it) references the bread Peeta threw to Katniss when they were children, but I imagine it more to be like the thank-you bread sent by District 11. The time this bread takes to make is enough time for you to read the first book, but it's delicious: wonderfully nutty and satisfyingly filling, this crunchy-crusted, rustic loaf is perfect spread with butter or just eaten plain.

*

Seeded Multigrain Boule

(adapted from the Huffington Post/Nancy Baggett)

1/2 c uncooked brown rice, ground into a powder (use a blender/coffee mill)

2 1/2 c whole-wheat flour, plus more for dusting the baking vessel

2 c bread flour, plus more as needed

1/3 c old-fashioned rolled oats

2 T toasted wheat germ

4 T roasted pepitas or sunflower seeds, divided

3 T flaxseeds, divided

6 T sesame seeds, divided

2 1/4 t table salt

1 1/4 t active dry yeast

2 1/2 c ice water, plus 1/4 c warm water (100-110°F, for proofing the yeast)

3 T clover honey or other mild honey

1 beaten egg, for glazing

Mix dough: Begin by proofing the yeast: dissolve yeast with a pinch of sugar in the warm water; stir and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a 6 qt or larger bowl, thoroughly mix rice powder, 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour, all of the bread flour, oats, wheat germ, 2 tablespoons each pepitas, flaxseeds, and sesame seeds, and salt. Thoroughly whisk ice water and honey in a medium bowl. Add yeast to dry ingredients, then add the water and honey, scraping down the sides and mixing just until the dough is thoroughly blended. The dough should be moist and somewhat sticky, but fairly heavy and stiff. Lightly coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

First rise: Let the dough rise at room temperature (about 70°F) for 12 to 18 hours; if convenient, stir once partway through the rise. (Note: refrigerating the dough for up to 12 hours before starting the first rise improves the flavor.)

Second rise: Generously coat a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven (or similar ovenproof pot) with oil. Coat the bottom and sides with more whole-wheat flour. Vigorously stir the dough to deflate it (this should be a little difficult). Transfer the dough to the pot.

Sprinkle 1 T more whole-wheat flour over the dough; pat and smooth it in. Firmly tuck the sides underneath all the way around to form a round ball of dough; dust with more flour as needed. Brush the loaf with egg, and sprinkle the remaining 2 T pepitas, 1 T flaxseeds, and 2 T sesame seeds over the top (it will be heavily coated). Using well-oiled kitchen shears or a serrated knife, cut two 1/2-inch-deep concentric circles in the top of the loaf, one about 2 1/2 inches out from the center, the other 3 1/2 inches out. Put the lid on the pot or tightly cover with foil.

Let rise at warm room temperature until the dough is double the deflated size, 1 1/2 to 3 hours (to speed the process, turn oven to lowest temperature possible, then turn it off when it has preheated. Add a bowl of water to the oven and put the covered Dutch oven in).

Bake, cool, slice: 20 minutes before baking, position a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 475°F. Reduce oven temperature to 425°. Lightly spritz or sprinkle the loaf with water. Bake, covered, on the lower rack until the top is lightly browned, 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs on the tip10 minutes longer. Cool in the pot on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the loaf out on the rack and let cool to at least warm before slicing.