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Let me explain: 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 delicately prepared egg with firm whites and a warm, runny yolk. The intense, dry heat of the oven proves harsher versus moist heat, often leading to dry everything out and harden the yolk. I’ve given you two sauces as inspiration, but get creative. The first features an easy golden coconut sauce, and the second offers a merguez ragu reimagines traditional spicy eggs, or, to the likes of you and me, spicy tomato eggs.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (shown above)

Prep 10 minutes
Cook Just under an hour
Yields Two servings

Extra virgin oil
One medium onion, trimmed and minced
Salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
10g fresh ginger, minced ginger
Turmeric powder
Cumin seeds
Aromatic leaves
200ml coconut milk
Chickpeas
Basil leaves, plus extra to serve
Fresh eggs
2 green finger chillies, julienned, for serving

Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high flame. Add a shot of olive oil, incorporate onions seasoned with salt, fry until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin seeds and curry leaves, allow to cook, stirring occasionally briefly, pour in creamy liquid along with chickpeas and liquid. Heat until boiling, reduce to a simmer, let it simmer about 35 minutes, until thick and golden. Adjust seasoning, incorporate basil.

Use the back of a spoon forming small wells within the sauce, add eggs individually. Sprinkle the top of each egg with salt, place a lid on the pan, simmer over low heat briefly, when whites are cooked and yolks warmed. Take off the heat, garnish with more basil and thinly sliced finger chillies, ready to enjoy.

Merguez Ragu and Pickled Peppers Baked Eggs

Preparation 10 min
Cook Under an hour
Serves Two

Oil
Spicy lamb sausages
Harissa paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced garlic
400g good-quality tinned tomatoes
Seasoning
Four eggs
Tangy peppers, roughly chopped
Fresh parsley, minced
3 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
Fresh lemon, wedge-cut, for serving

Heat a skillet on a medium heat. Pour in oil when heated, take off sausage casings and break off pieces adding to pan, resembling tiny meatballs. Lower temperature, brown the meat slowly, releasing flavorful oils. Stir merguez as they cook, so they colour on all sides.

When golden, mix in spices and garlic into the skillet, increase to medium heat fry with mixing, briefly, until the mix smells fragrant, with garlic cooked. Tip in the tomatoes, add seasoning and bring to a simmer. Reduce to low heat cooking gently for twenty minutes. Ragu thickens, become richer and darker, as oils separate.

With a spoon making indentations within sauce, then crack an egg into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg lightly salted, then cover the pan with a lid. Simmer briefly gently, when eggs set and yolks warmed.

Turn off stove, garnish with peppers, parsley, a blob of yoghurt, and oil splash, with lemon on side.