Bread from District 11 in The Hunger Games
It’s not easy to find a topic. Talking of home is painful. Talk- ing of the present unbearable. One day, Peeta empties our breadbasket and points out how they have been careful to in- clude types from the districts along with the refined bread of the Capitol. The fish-shaped loaf tinted green with seaweed from District 4. The crescent moon roll dotted with seeds from District 11. Somehow, although it’s made from the same stuff, it looks a lot more appetizing than the ugly drop biscuits that are the standard fare at home.
The Hunger Games
District 11 is one of the poorer districts of Panem and they’re known for agriculture and their production of wheat and cotton. This bread is hearty and filling which is ideal for a long day’s work. Feel free to change the seeds on this bread to better suit your taste.
The Hunger Games: Rye Bread with Seeds from District 11
Ingredients:
rye sour
- 7oz / 200g / 1 1/2 cup – rye flour
- 7oz / 200g / 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp – water, 100F
- .7oz / 20g / 1 1/3 tbsp – bread starter
- 6oz / 175g / 1 1/2 cup – bread flour
- 8oz / 230g / 1 3/4 cup – rye flour
- 6oz / 170g / 3/4 cup – water, 110F
- .3oz / 10g / 2 tsp – salt
- .5oz / 14g / 1 tbsp – active dry yeast
- 14oz / 400g – rye sour
- 1 – egg white
- seeds: poppy seeds, caraway seeds
Directions:
- Combine all three ingredients for the rye sour in a bowl and mix until combined. Cover and set aside for 1 hour in a warm area.
- In an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine the warm water and yeast and let it stand for 10 minutes. Add the bread flour, rye flour, salt, and rye sour and mix until a ball of dough forms. Transfer the bread to a floured surface and knead until it forms a smooth ball of dough. Test the dough with the window pane method to determine if you need to knead the dough any longer.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the dough in a warm area for 2 hours to ferment. Fold the dough every 30 minutes by bringing the four corners of the dough into the center. Turn the dough over so the seam is on the bottom. If the dough is sticky, lightly wet your hands with water to keep it from sticking.
- After two hours, place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 200g pieces or to the size you want your rolls to be. Keep the pieces as square as possible. Shape each dough by first gently patting it to flatten and then roll and tuck the dough to create a log as if you’re making a jelly roll. Continue this with the rest of the rolls and cover and rest for 10 minutes.
- Give the rolls a final shape by rolling and tapering off the ends to create a crescent shape. Place the shaped rolls onto a parchment lined sheet pan, seam side down. Make sure to leave enough room for it to proof and bake. Proof for 1 hour or until fluffy and keeps an indentation when poked.
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Brush the rolls with the lightly beaten egg white and sprinkle on the seeds of your choice. I decided to use poppy seeds and caraway seeds.
- Bake the rolls for 20 minutes or until lightly golden at the edges and the internal temperature reads 190F.
