Granny Annie's Biscuits & Italian Sausage Gravy Recipe

The Southern skillet biscuits recipe by our friend Dee was such a hit that we decided to put a little Fontana Forni Italian spin on the classic: biscuits and gravy!

Our in-house expert Philip Laing said nonna Annie had an incredible formula for the fluffiest ones you'll ever taste. Served piping hot out of the oven, they're slathered in a simple but oh-so-rich gravy. Here's how to create 8 servings of this delicious family dish.

    Supplies:

    Ingredients:

    • 500 grams self-rising flour
    • 200 grams shortening (we used Crisco)
    • 280 grams milk
    • Salted butter (for glazing the biscuits)

      Prepping Oven:

      1.) Preheat oven to approximately 475°F while you prepare the other ingredients.

      Making the Dough:

      1.) In a large mixing bowl, pour in the flour and shortening.

      2.) Using a fork or pastry cutter, begin cutting the shortening into the flour.

      3.) Once the shortening has been evenly distributed you can begin adding the milk. Slowly mix with a fork or Danish dough hook. Do not kneed but combine gently until uniformly mixed.

      Cutting the Biscuits:

      1.) Dust a clean surface with some self-rising flour and pour the dough mixture onto the dusting.

      2.) “Dry wash” your hands with flour so that the dough doesn’t stick to your hands.

      3.) Lightly press down the dough and fold in half. Repeat and fold once more.  Press down to a thickness of approximately 1 ¼ inches.

      4.) Use a cup or dough cutter to cut into biscuit disks. The last biscuits will be made by combining the “scraps” and formed into a disc.

      Baking the Dough:

      1.) Place the biscuits and distribute them into a cast iron skillet or griddle. Make sure that the biscuits are at least touching, but not pressed together.

      2.) Remove the heat source from the oven (with gas, turn it off; if using wood remove coals) and immediately place the pans in the oven and close the door.

      3.) Allow to bake as the oven cools for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown on the tops. Remove from the oven and immediately spread salted butter on top. 

      Making the Gravy:

      Ingredients:

      • 16 oz. pack of Italian sausage
      • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
      • 2.5  cups whole milk
      • 2 tsp pepper
      • 1 tsp salt

      1.) Preheat oven to 600°F. Then place the pan into the oven and heat up to about 300°F.

      2.) Place the sausage into pre-heated pan and break apart into uniform pieces. Then place back into oven.

      3.) Cook sausage until uniformly browned.

      4.) Stir in flour to evenly coat all the sausage.

      5.) Slowly add the milk making sure to scrape up all the browned sausage and flour. Mix constantly until thickened up.

      6.) Mix in pepper and sausage.

      7.) Cut a biscuit in half and top with as much gravy as you like. 

      Buon Appetito!

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