3 c Cake flour (not
-self-rising); plus more
1 1/2 tb Baking powder
2 1/4 ts Coarse salt
1/4 ts Freshly-ground black pepper
6 tb Chilled unsalted butter; cut
-up
2 tb Chopped fresh sage
1 c Buttermilk; (to 1 1/4 cups)
8 sm Fresh sage leaves; for
-garnish
Heat oven to 500 degrees.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add
butter, and cut into flour mixture using a pastry cutter until it forms
pea-sized pieces. Stir in sage until well combined. Stir in enough
buttermilk until flour mixture is moist and forms a dough.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface, and knead gently until the dough
comes together, about 15 seconds, being careful not to overwork the dough.
Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into an 8-inch round
about 3/4 inch thick. Cut out biscuits, without twisting, using a lightly
floured 2 3/4-inch round biscuit cutter. Gather scraps, and repeat rolling
and cutting process, being careful not to overwork the dough.
Place biscuits, pressing together gently, in an ungreased 8- by 2-inch
round baking pan in a circular pattern with 7 biscuits around the outer
edge of the pan and one in the center. Brush each biscuit lightly with
buttermilk. Top each biscuit with a small sage leaf. Bake until golden
brown, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Makes 8 biscuits.
Yields
8 servings