For the Biscuits:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Add a pan of water to the bottom rack of the oven.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the shortening, using clean hands, a pastry cutter, or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and stir in using a spatula, until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Turn out onto a floured surface and with floured hands, gently push and pat the dough forward into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and about 5 inches high. Fold over the long end on itself. Turn and repeat about 14 times, working very gently and patting out and turning each time.

Pat dough out, the final time to the rectangle, about 8 x 5. Make sure you can get six biscuits out of the dough. The dough should be pretty close to an inch high. Use a 2 1/2 inch cutter and cut out six rounds, cutting straight down. Be careful not to turn the cutter, and do leave a bit of edge around the outside of the rectangle.

If you wish to reuse the scraps, don’t “smoosh” them together. Instead, lightly stretch them and place them one on top of the other in a stack. Gently press down and out to a rectangle the same height as the rest of your biscuits. Cut two more rounds and use the last bit of scrap for a final biscuit, making a total of 9 biscuits. Brush off any excess flour.

Place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart and bake for about 12 to 14 minutes until edges begin to brown. Remove and serve immediately, while still warm.

Note: dough may be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored, refrigerated, in plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray.

For the Gravy:

Add sausage to a cold medium-sized saucepan. Slowly heat over medium-high heat while breaking up the sausage into small pieces. If sausage is very lean, a little oil or butter may be needed. Cook until sausage is no longer pink and lightly browned. Don’t drain the sausage.

Sprinkle flour over sausage and continue to cook for a minute or two, stirring, until the flour is all incorporated and has lost its raw taste. Gradually add milk, a little at a time, whisking or stirring until all is added. Cook, stirring often until the gravy has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and doesn’t fill in when a finger is run through it. Add salt and pepper to taste, being very generous with the pepper. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired.

Serve gravy over biscuits.

Notes:

• If serving 4 people, use the smaller amounts of flour and milk; if stretching to serve more, use the 1/3 cup of flour and 3 cups of milk.
• Gravy may need to be thinned if standing for a while or when reheated.