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So, hear me out: the best baked eggs are made without baking. During recipe development, discovering that covering the pan produces a humid atmosphere that gently cooks the eggs, resulting in perfectly cooked soft-cooked egg with firm whites and a warm, runny yolk. The harsh, arid temperature from baking acts stronger than steam, typically causing to dehydrate ingredients and overcook the yolk. Presenting two flavorful bases to get started, but get creative. The first features an easy golden coconut sauce, whereas the spicy sausage sauce reimagines eggs in purgatory, essentially, eggs cooked in zesty tomato base.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Baked Eggs (featured)

Preparation 10 minutes
Cook Just under an hour
Yields 2

Extra virgin oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
Sea salt
Two garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
10g fresh ginger, minced ginger
Turmeric powder
½ tbsp cumin seeds
Curry leaves
Coconut milk
Canned chickpeas
Basil leaves, with more for garnish
4 eggs
Fresh chilies, finely sliced, to serve

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot at moderate-high temperature. Add a shot of olive oil, add the chopped onion seasoned with salt, and cook for five to six minutes. Incorporate aromatics and spices, allow to cook, occasionally stirring briefly, add coconut milk along with chickpeas and liquid. Heat until boiling, reduce to a simmer, and leave it to tick over for 30-35 minutes, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Adjust seasoning, mix in fresh basil.

Employ a utensil to create four little pockets within the sauce, then crack an egg into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg lightly salted, place a lid on the pan, gently heat for a few minutes, until egg whites firm and the yolks just warm. Take off the heat, finish with a few extra basil leaves and sliced chilies, and serve.

Spicy Sausage Sauce with Tangy Peppers Steamed Eggs

Prep 10 min
Cooking time 45 minutes
Serves 2

Oil
Spicy lamb sausages
Harissa paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
Garlic cloves, minced garlic
400g good-quality tinned tomatoes
Seasoning
4 eggs
1 handful pickled peppers, diced
Chopped herbs, minced
3 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Heat a skillet at moderate temperature. Pour in oil when heated, remove the skins from the sausages and break off pieces into the skillet, almost like little meatballs. Reduce heat, brown the meat slowly, extracting spicy fats. Roll the merguez pieces around the pan while cooking, so they colour on all sides.

After browning, mix in spices and garlic into the skillet, increase to medium heat and cook, stirring, for several minutes, until the mix smells fragrant, with garlic cooked. Tip in the tomatoes, salt to taste let it bubble. Turn down the heat to low and leave to blip away for twenty minutes. The ragu will reduce, thicken and deepen in colour, with oils separating and surfacing.

Employ utensil forming wells across base, break eggs in. Sprinkle the top of each egg lightly salted, cover skillet. Cook for two to three minutes on low flame, until the whites are set and yolks warmed.

Take off the heat, finish with chopped pickled peppers, herbs, yogurt dollop, plus oil drizzle, and serve with lemon wedges.