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Consider this: the best baked eggs never require an oven. Through culinary experiments, discovering that covering the pan produces a humid atmosphere to cook the top of the eggs, delivering a gently cooked soft-cooked egg featuring set whites plus liquid yolk. The intense, dry heat of the oven acts stronger compared to steaming, typically causing to dry everything out and overcook the yolk. Presenting two flavorful bases to get started, encouraging customization. One is a super-simple golden coconut sauce, and the second offers a merguez ragu reimagines classic tomato-baked eggs, essentially, spicy tomato eggs.

Golden Coconut Sauce Baked Eggs (pictured above)

Preparation A quick 10 minutes
Cooking time 55 minutes
Yields Two servings

Extra virgin oil
One medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
Fine sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced garlic
10g fresh ginger, grated ginger
1 tbsp ground turmeric
Cumin seeds
Curry leaves
Coconut milk
Chickpeas
Basil leaves, with more for garnish
Fresh eggs
Green chilies, thinly cut, to serve

Use a heavy skillet over medium-high flame. Pour in some oil, incorporate onions and a pinch of salt, fry until softened. Mix in garlic, ginger, and spices, let them sizzle, mixing now and then for three to four minutes, pour in creamy liquid including chickpea can contents. Let it bubble, lower heat to gentle cook, let it simmer for half an hour, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Adjust seasoning, incorporate basil.

Use the back of a spoon making four indentations in the sauce, break eggs into each. Season eggs with salt, then cover the pan with a lid, gently heat for two to three minutes, until the whites are set and yolks warmed. Remove from heat, finish with a few extra basil leaves and thinly sliced finger chillies, ready to enjoy.

Merguez Ragu with Tangy Peppers Baked Eggs

Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking time 45 min
Yields Two portions

Olive oil
Spicy lamb sausages
Spicy paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
Garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Tomato base
Fine sea salt
Four eggs
1 handful pickled peppers, diced
1 small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, diced
Creamy yogurt
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Use a heavy pan at moderate temperature. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and, once it’s warm, remove the skins from the sausages and pinch small amounts into the skillet, like mini balls. Reduce heat, then slowly brown the sausagemeat, releasing flavorful oils. Move sausage pieces during cooking, for even browning.

When golden, mix in spices and garlic into the skillet, turn up the heat to medium and cook, stirring, briefly, until the mix smells fragrant, with garlic cooked. Pour in tomato contents, salt to taste let it bubble. Turn down the heat to low and simmer slowly for 20 minutes. Ragu thickens, thicken and deepen in colour, as oils separate.

Use the back of a spoon to create four little pockets across base, add eggs individually. Sprinkle the top of each egg with a little salt, place lid on pan. Simmer briefly over a low heat, until the whites are set and the yolks just warm.

Remove from heat, finish with chopped pickled peppers, herbs, yogurt dollop, and a drizzle of oil, and serve with lemon wedges.