In the traditional method, dough rises once in a bowl, then it is punched down, shaped and placed in a pan or on a baking sheet to rise a final time before baking. Punching down the dough eliminates excess carbon dioxide and redistributes the yeast so it can keep working. Make a fist and push it into the center of the dough. Pull the edges of the dough to the center and turn the dough over. Now it is ready to be shaped.
Recipes indicate how to shape special breads and rolls.
For regular bread loaves, lightly flour the work surface and, after shaping the dough into a smooth ball, roll to a rectangle using a rolling pin. Beginning at the short end, roll tightly to make a loaf shape. With fingers, pinch seam of rolled dough to seal. Then pinch each end. Pat into a uniform loaf shape.