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Let me explain: the most delicious egg dishes are made without baking. During recipe development, I found that simply adding a lid produces a humid atmosphere for cooking the egg tops, resulting in perfectly cooked perfectly poached egg with firm whites and flowing center. Direct oven heat in conventional ovens proves harsher than steam, and has a tendency to dehydrate ingredients resulting in firm yolks. I’ve given you two sauces to get started, though feel free to experiment. One is a super-simple coconut turmeric blend, and the second offers a merguez ragu reimagines classic tomato-baked eggs, essentially, eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Baked Eggs (shown above)

Preparation 10 min
Cooking time 55 minutes
Serves Two people

Olive oil
One medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
Sea salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
10g fresh ginger, minced ginger
Golden spice
Toasted cumin
Aromatic leaves
Creamy coconut
400g tin chickpeas
Basil leaves, plus extra to serve
Four eggs
2 green finger chillies, julienned, to serve

Heat a cast-iron pan at moderate-high temperature. Pour in some oil, incorporate onions seasoned with salt, fry until softened. Incorporate aromatics and spices, leave to sizzle, mixing now and then for three to four minutes, pour in creamy liquid and the chickpeas and their tin liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, allow to cook slowly for half an hour, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Adjust seasoning, incorporate basil.

Employ a utensil forming small wells in the sauce, then crack an egg into each. Season eggs with salt, then cover the pan with a lid, simmer over low heat for a few minutes, until the whites are set with yolks still runny. Turn off stove, top with fresh herbs plus chili slices, ready to enjoy.

Merguez Ragu with Tangy Peppers Baked Eggs

Prep 10 min
Cooking time Under an hour
Yields 2

Oil
Merguez sausages
Harissa paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
Garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Canned tomatoes
Fine sea salt
Four eggs
1 handful pickled peppers, diced
1 small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, diced
3 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
Fresh lemon, wedge-cut, to serve

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot at moderate temperature. Pour in oil once hot, remove the skins from the sausages forming small bits into the skillet, like mini balls. Turn down the heat, cook until golden, releasing flavorful oils. Roll the merguez pieces around the pan as they cook, so they colour on all sides.

When golden, add the harissa, cumin seeds and sliced garlic to the pot, turn up the heat to medium sauté while stirring, for three to four minutes, when fragrant, and garlic softens. Tip in the tomatoes, season with salt and bring to a simmer. Lower to gentle simmer and leave to blip away about 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, intensify in color, while the oils split and rise to the top.

With a spoon to create four little pockets across base, break eggs in. Season eggs lightly salted, cover skillet. Simmer briefly gently, when eggs set and the yolks just warm.

Turn off stove, finish with chopped pickled peppers, parsley and yogurt, and a drizzle of oil, accompanied by lemon.