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Let me explain: the best baked eggs never require an oven. During recipe development, realizing that using a cover generates steam that gently cooks the eggs, yielding tender delicately prepared egg with firm whites plus liquid yolk. The intense, dry heat from baking acts stronger versus moist heat, and has a tendency to dehydrate ingredients and harden the yolk. Here are two sauce options to get started, though feel free to experiment. Option one involves a straightforward golden coconut sauce, whereas the spicy sausage sauce is a riff on traditional spicy eggs, essentially, eggs cooked in zesty tomato base.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (featured)

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 55 min
Yields Two people

Extra virgin oil
1 onion, trimmed and minced
Sea salt
Two garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
10g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Turmeric powder
Toasted cumin
Aromatic leaves
Coconut milk
Chickpeas
Basil leaves, and additional for topping
4 eggs
Fresh chilies, finely sliced, to serve

Use a heavy skillet over medium-high flame. Add a shot of olive oil, toss in the onion with some salt, sauté for several minutes. Incorporate aromatics and spices, allow to cook, mixing now and then for three to four minutes, pour in creamy liquid and the chickpeas and their tin liquid. Heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer, and leave it to tick over for 30-35 minutes, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Add salt to taste, then stir in the basil leaves.

Use the back of a spoon forming small wells in the sauce, break eggs into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg with a little salt, cover the skillet, gently heat briefly, until egg whites firm with yolks still runny. Remove from heat, finish with a few extra basil leaves and sliced chilies, ready to enjoy.

Spicy Sausage Sauce with Tangy Peppers Baked Eggs

Prep Quick prep
Cook 45 minutes
Yields Two

Oil
2 merguez-style lamb sausages
Harissa paste
Cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced garlic
Canned tomatoes
Fine sea salt
Four eggs
1 handful pickled peppers, diced
Chopped herbs, diced
3 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
Fresh lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Use a heavy pan on a medium heat. Pour in oil when heated, peel sausages forming small bits into the skillet, almost like little meatballs. Reduce heat, then slowly brown the sausagemeat, releasing flavorful oils. Move sausage pieces during cooking, to brown evenly.

After browning, mix in spices and garlic to the pot, increase to medium heat fry with mixing, for several minutes, until the mix smells fragrant, and garlic softens. Pour in tomato contents, salt to taste heat to simmer. Reduce to low heat cooking gently about 20 minutes. Sauce will thicken, thicken and deepen in colour, as oils separate.

With a spoon forming wells within sauce, break eggs in. Season eggs with salt, then cover the pan with a lid. Heat for minutes over a low heat, until the whites are set and the yolks just warm.

Take off the heat, top with pickled peppers, herbs, yogurt dollop, and a drizzle of oil, accompanied by lemon.