Biscuits & Gravy Bake

Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Step 2 -In a large mixing bowl, add 2 1/4 cups of the flour, the cornstarch, the baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and whisk to combine.

Step 3 -Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cold butter over the flour mixture and using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles small peas.

Step 4 -Add the buttermilk to the flour and using a spatula, toss until the mixture is shaggy but isn't quite a dough yet.

Step 5 -Using the extra flour, dust a work surface.

Step 6 -Turn the flour mixture out onto the prepared work surface and bring it together into a mound. Don't worry if it is a bit crumbly.

Step 7 -Roll the flour mixture out into a 10-inch-wide square.

Step 8 -Using a bench scraper or a spatula, fold the flour mixture up like a letter by folding 1/3 of the square into the center and folding the other side over the first fold.

Step 9 -Rotate the folded flour mixture about 90 degrees and re-roll it out into a 10-inch square.

Step 10 -Repeat the folding and rolling process until the flour mixture comes together into a dough, about 3-4 times.

Step 11 -Roll the dough out into a 10-inch-wide, 1/2-inch-thick square.

Step 12 -Using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut circles out of the dough. You should be able to cut about 16 biscuits from the square. Do not twist the biscuit cutter as you cut out the circles; make sure to press straight down and then pull it straight up to ensure the best rise and texture for the biscuits.

Step 13 -Set 12 of the biscuit dough rounds aside.

Step 14 -In the bottom of a 9x13-inch, evenly place 4 of the biscuit dough rounds.

Step 15 -Cut the excess biscuit dough left over from cutting out the rounds into pieces and scatter them evenly in the bottom of the baking dish. The goal is to cover the bottom of the baking dish completely.

Step 16 -Place the baking dish on top of a baking sheet.

Step 17 -Bake the biscuit layer in the baking dish until they are dried but not browned, about 15 minutes. The biscuit dough will still look very pale at this stage.

Step 18 -In a large sauté pan over high heat, add the olive oil.

Step 19 -Add the mushrooms and the onions to the hot oil and cook, while stirring constantly, until the mushrooms start to soften and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 20 -Add the sausage to the mushroom mixture and cook, while stirring and crumbling the meat, until the sausage starts to brown, about 5 minutes.

Step 21 -Add 6 tablespoons of the remaining flour, the ground sage, the black pepper, the nutmeg, and the remaining salt to the sausage mixture and cook, while stirring, until the flour and the spices are absorbed into the sausage mixture, about 1-2 minutes.

Step 22 -Add the milk to the sausage mixture and immediately reduce the heat to medium.

Step 23 -Cook the sausage mixture, while stirring, until it begins to bubble and thicken into a gravy, about 3-7 minutes.

Step 24 -Pour the gravy over the biscuit layer in the baking dish.

Step 25 -Top the gravy evenly with the reserved biscuit rounds.

Step 26 -Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the biscuit rounds with the remaining melted butter.

Step 27 -Bake until the biscuits are golden-brown and the gravy is very bubbly and thick, about 18-23 minutes.

Step 28 -Allow the bake to cool for 10 minutes.

Step 29 -Serve.