What is pre-shape?

A loose, gentle first shaping done after dividing dough but before the final shape — usually a rough round or loose log. Followed by a 15-30 minute bench rest, then the final shape. The point: build just enough surface tension to give the dough structure and let the gluten relax before the final tighter shape, without overworking it. Skipping the pre-shape (going directly to final shape after dividing) produces flatter loaves with weaker structure because the gluten hasn't had a chance to organize. The bench rest between pre-shape and final shape is sometimes called the bench proof — it's where the dough builds final extensibility for clean shaping.