Flaky Layered Biscuits with Homemade Sage Sausage Gravy

Method

1. In a bowl, combine the ground pork, sage, crushed fennel, pepper flakes, brown sugar, salt and part of the black pepper, and knead with your hand for 30 seconds until slightly sticky. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min so the seasoning soaks in. Make the biscuits meanwhile.

   Add in this stepGround pork (about 20% fat) 240 gDried sage 1 tspFennel seeds, lightly crushed ½ tspRed pepper flakes 1 pinchBrown sugar ½ tspSalt (sausage) ½ tspFreshly cracked black pepper 0.4 tsp

2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Grate in the frozen butter and toss with a fork for 3 min so every shred is coated in flour.

   Add in this stepAll-purpose flour (biscuits) 160 gBaking powder 2 tspSugar 1 tspSalt (biscuits) ½ tspUnsalted butter, frozen and grated 75 g

3. Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir just until it clumps together. On a floured counter, pat it into a 15×10 cm rectangle, fold it in thirds like a letter, turn it 90 degrees and pat it out again; do this 3 times in all. Finally pat it to 2.5 cm thick, trim the edges with a knife and cut square biscuits, so the sides can rise freely.

   Add in this stepButtermilk, cold 120 ml

4. Freeze the cut biscuits for 10 min to firm up the butter while you preheat the oven to 230 °C. Set them touching in a 20 cm cast-iron skillet or pan, brush with melted butter and bake in the oven for 14 min, until tall and deep golden.

   Add in this stepMelted butter (for brushing) 1 tbsp

   oven

5. Heat a 24 cm pan over medium-high heat, add the sausage and leave it alone for the first minute so it forms a brown crust, then break it up and cook for 8 min in total, until no pink remains. Add the butter and let it melt and foam until it smells nutty and turns light brown.

   Add in this stepButter (gravy) 15 g

   medium-high heat

6. Lower the heat to medium heat, sprinkle in the flour and stir for 2 min to make a light brown roux. Scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan; they are the soul of the gravy.

   Add in this stepAll-purpose flour (gravy) 3 tbsp

   medium heat

7. Whisk in the milk in three additions until smooth, then simmer gently on medium-low heat for 5 min until thick. Stir in the cream, nutmeg and the rest of the pepper and season with salt. Thin with a little more milk if it gets too thick.

   Add in this stepWhole milk 320 mlHeavy cream 50 mlNutmeg 1 pinchFreshly cracked black pepper 0.6 tspSalt (gravy) to taste

   medium-low heat

8. Pull the warm biscuits apart by hand to show their layers, spoon over plenty of gravy and scatter with chives.

   Add in this stepChives, finely sliced 2 tbsp