Shaping a Round Roll

A piece of dough weighing up to 4 or 5 ounces can be comfortably shaped with one hand. Place the dough piece on the work surface, with seams down and the good side up. Start by cupping your hand, with all the fingers together, and putting the palm of the hand directly on top of the dough piece. Throughout the shaping process it is important to keep your thumb and pinky finger on the work surface. These will provide a sort of cage for the dough, within which it will take shape. With firm downward pressure, the hand is moved in a circular fashion, the dough is compressed in the area bounded by the pinky and the thumb, and the palm remains firmly atop the dough. The left hand moves in a clockwise direction, and the right counterclockwise. Smaller rolls (those weighing up to about 3 ounces) are passed back and forth between the pinky and the thumb. Larger rolls remain in contact with both pinky and thumb throughout the procedure. As the roll begins to take shape, you will feel it tightening beneath your hand.