Search
Black Pepper Biscuits and Creamy Gravy Casserole
Here’s a classic diner breakfast easy to make at home! Using a one-pot recipe, Chef Emily Ellyn makes fluffy ricotta drop biscuits over hearty and cheesy sausage gravy, and then adds a pinch of chili powder for a subtle kick. Top it all with an over easy egg and you’ve got the perfect punctuation for a hearty weekend breakfast or brunch.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 8 – 10
Yield: 12-inch oven safe sauté pan or three 6-inch oven safe pans
Ingredients
Biscuits:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
- 1/3 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese - plus extra for topping casserole
- ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper - plus more for finishing biscuits
Gravy:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup (1 small) onion chopped
- 1 pound ground breakfast sausage, removed from casings
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3-4 cloves)
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, or substitute paprika for a milder version
- ½ teaspoon dried mustard
- 2 ¼ cups whole milk - plus extra for finishing biscuits
- 1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
Directions
Place the rack into the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Biscuits: In a large bowl, sift 1¾ cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Add 8 tablespoons of butter cut into ½ inch pieces by rubbing between fingertips into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. With hands, fold in 1 egg, 1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, 1/3 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese, and ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper. Fold until just combined.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half, turn it 90 degrees and pat into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Repeat the process 4 more times, flouring your work surface as necessary to prevent sticking.
Cut out biscuits with a 2 ½ inch round biscuit cutter and transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Reserve to side.
Gravy: Place 3 tablespoons butter in a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat. When it begins to melt, add the chopped onions and cook until onions are translucent, 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add breakfast sausage and garlic. Cook, breaking sausage up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink and is starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle with ¼ cup flour and stir until flour evenly coats and becomes stirred into meat. Pour in stock, Worcestershire sauce, ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, chili powder, and dried mustard. Cook, stirring frequently, until the stock starts to bubble and thicken, about 2 minutes.
Gradually stir in 2 ¼ cups milk and 1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, scraping sides and bottom of pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Continue simmering, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 1 minute more (the gravy will continue to thicken as it cooks in the oven).
Finally, top the sausage gravy with un-cooked biscuits leaving at least an 1/8-inch around the edge of pan and between biscuits. (If you have extra biscuits, bake on parchment-lined sheet tray for 16-20 minutes). Brush tops of biscuits with milk and sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper. Finish with a sprinkle of Shredded Parmesan Cheese.
Place in oven and bake until the biscuits have risen and are golden brown on top, about 16 – 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. During this time, you can fry an egg to serve on top. Enjoy!
