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So, hear me out: the best baked eggs never require an oven. When testing these recipes, discovering that covering the pan produces a humid atmosphere that gently cooks the eggs, delivering a gently cooked perfectly poached egg featuring set whites and a warm, runny yolk. Direct oven heat from baking proves harsher compared to steaming, often leading to dehydrate ingredients resulting in firm yolks. Presenting two flavorful bases to get started, though feel free to experiment. Option one involves a straightforward turmeric coconut curry, whereas the spicy sausage sauce puts a twist on traditional spicy eggs, or simply put, eggs cooked in zesty tomato base.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (shown above)

Prep A quick 10 minutes
Cook Just under an hour
Serves 2

Extra virgin oil
One medium onion, skinned and diced
Salt
2 garlic cloves, minced garlic
10g fresh ginger, grated ginger
1 tbsp ground turmeric
½ tbsp cumin seeds
Curry leaves
Creamy coconut
Chickpeas
A few basil leaves, and additional for topping
Four eggs
Green chilies, julienned, for serving

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot at moderate-high temperature. Add a shot of olive oil, toss in the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook for five to six minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin seeds and curry leaves, allow to cook, stirring occasionally for three to four minutes, then tip in the coconut milk and the chickpeas and their tin liquid. Let it bubble, then turn down to a simmer, allow to cook slowly for 30-35 minutes, when sauce is rich and yellow. Season with salt, then stir in the basil leaves.

With a spoon’s back forming small wells across the base, then crack an egg into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg lightly salted, place a lid on the pan, gently heat briefly, until the whites are set and the yolks just warm. Remove from heat, top with fresh herbs plus chili slices, ready to enjoy.

Spicy Sausage Sauce with Tangy Peppers Baked Eggs

Prep 10 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 2

Olive oil
2 merguez-style lamb sausages
Harissa paste
Toasted cumin
Garlic cloves, minced garlic
400g good-quality tinned tomatoes
Salt
Fresh eggs
Tangy peppers, coarsely cut
Fresh parsley, minced
Greek yogurt
Fresh lemon, sliced into wedges, as garnish

Heat a skillet at moderate temperature. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and, once it’s warm, take off sausage casings forming small bits adding to pan, almost like little meatballs. Turn down the heat, cook until golden, so it renders out all that spicy, flavour-packed fat. Roll the merguez pieces around the pan as they cook, for even browning.

After browning, mix in spices and garlic to the pot, adjust to moderate flame fry with mixing, briefly, until the mix smells fragrant, and the garlic has lost its raw edge. Tip in the tomatoes, add seasoning and bring to a simmer. Lower to gentle simmer cooking gently about 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, thicken and deepen in colour, while the oils split and rise to the top.

Employ utensil forming wells within sauce, then crack an egg into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg with a little salt, place lid on pan. Simmer briefly gently, until whites firm and the yolks just warm.

Take off the heat, garnish with peppers, herbs, yogurt dollop, plus oil drizzle, accompanied by lemon.