Hi, PJ. Preshaping is standard practice in most bakeries for a lot of reasons. If you're dividing a large batch of dough, it's a frequent occurrence that you'll have bits of dough added to larger chunks to get all of the loaves a consistent weight. This can make for a lumpy, uneven texture in the finished loaf if the dough isn't given a little extra bench rest to reabsorb the pieces and even out. That's what Maurizio is referring to when he says "unruly forms". Second, dividing the dough tightens the gluten at the point where it's been cut. Preshaping with its attendant bench rest makes the tension in the dough more uniform, and the rest allows the gluten to relax enough to allow for better results when it comes to shaping the final loaf. It might help of you check out Maurizio's video on Instagram, where you can see the process in action. Next time you're baking enough dough for more than one loaf, try preshaping one and not the other, then compare the crumb structures after baking. You might convince yourself! Susan

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