Brown the Sausage: Place a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan or skillet over a medium heat. Add the sausage meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's thoroughly browned and cooked through.

Create the Roux: Once the sausage is cooked, do not drain the fat! This is where all the flavour is. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked sausage and set it aside in a bowl. You should have about 4-5 tablespoons of rendered fat in the pan. If your sausage was lean, add the optional tablespoon of butter now and let it melt.

Cook the Flour: Sprinkle the plain flour over the hot fat in the pan. Whisk it constantly for a full 60-90 seconds. The mixture will form a thick paste. What works best for me is to let it cook until it turns a light golden colour and smells nutty. This step cooks out the raw flour taste, which is crucial for a delicious gravy. For a more in-depth guide on this technique, Serious Eats has a fantastic explanation of making a roux.

Gradually Add Milk: Slowly pour in about 100ml of the room-temperature milk, whisking vigorously to combine it with the roux. It will seize up and look very thick at first – this is normal! Keep whisking until it’s smooth.

Build the Gravy: Continue adding the milk in steady splashes, whisking until smooth after each addition. Once all the milk is incorporated, the gravy will be thin. Bring it to a gentle simmer.

Simmer and Thicken: Reduce the heat to low and let the gravy simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, stirring often to prevent it from catching on the bottom. It will thicken up considerably into a lovely, creamy consistency. If it gets too thick, you can add another splash of milk.

Season and Finish: Stir the cooked sausage back into the gravy. Season with the salt, a generous amount of black pepper, and the optional cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. I find it always needs more black pepper than I initially think!

Serve Immediately: To serve, split the warm biscuits in half. Place them on a plate and ladle the hot sausage gravy generously over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and an extra crack of black pepper.