Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, seeds, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
Add about ¾ of the hot water and stir with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides of the bowl, then bringing the mixture to the center. Rotate the bowl as you stir. When the mixture gets difficult to stir, add more of the water in increments, stirring as you go until all of the water is added and all of the flour mixture is well-incorporated. The dough should be thick, but a little shaggy. If it still seems a little dry and all of the flour is not mixed in, add another tablespoon of hot tap water, one teaspoon at a time.
After 20 minutes of rising time, place a 5-7 quart Dutch oven on the center rack in the oven. Turn the oven to 425℉ and allow it to preheat for 30-40 minutes. The dough will be puffing up at this point, but will not have doubled in size.
Brush half of the top of the loaf with water, and sprinkle with the seeded topping. Cup one hand along the bottom edges as you sprinkle the seeds catching the excess in your hand, then gently press the extra seeds onto the side of the loaf. Once half of the loaf is sprinkled with seeds, brush the other half with water and repeat the sprinkling and pressing process. Don’t worry if some seeds are on the parchment paper.
Remove the Dutch oven (it's hot!) and place on the stovetop. Place the sheet pan with the dough next to the Dutch oven. Pick up the dough ball by the parchment paper and lower it into the Dutch oven. Be careful as the pot will be very hot. Cover the Dutch oven and return it to the oven.
See Café tips above in posts for more detailed instructions and tips.
Recipe adapted from Bake from Scratch.
This bread stores well at room temperature to 2-3 days and also freezes well. I like to slice it before freezing so I can pull out just as many slices as I want.
This recipe calls for instant yeast. If you only have regular dry active yeast you can still make the bread, the steps will be just a bit different: start the recipe by combining all dry ingredients in a bowl EXCEPT for the brown sugar and yeast. When you get ready to add the hot water, first add the brown sugar and yeast to the hot water and stir. Wait 5 minutes until the mixture begins to foam and bubble a bit. Then add the water mixture to the dry ingredients and proceed as directed.