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So, hear me out: the most delicious egg dishes are made without baking. Through culinary experiments, realizing that using a cover generates steam to cook the top of the eggs, delivering a gently cooked delicately prepared egg featuring set whites and flowing center. The harsh, arid temperature from baking is much more aggressive than steam, often leading to dry everything out and harden the yolk. Presenting two flavorful bases to get started, encouraging customization. One is a super-simple golden coconut sauce, while the merguez ragu puts a twist on classic tomato-baked eggs, essentially, eggs cooked in zesty tomato base.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Baked Eggs (shown above)

Preparation A quick 10 minutes
Cook 55 min
Serves Two people

Extra virgin oil
1 onion, trimmed and minced
Sea salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
Fresh ginger root, minced ginger
Turmeric powder
Cumin seeds
Curry leaves
200ml coconut milk
400g tin chickpeas
Basil leaves, and additional for topping
4 eggs
2 green finger chillies, julienned, as garnish

Use a heavy skillet on a medium-high heat. Pour in some oil, incorporate onions seasoned with salt, sauté for several minutes. Mix in garlic, ginger, and spices, allow to cook, occasionally stirring for a few minutes, then tip in the coconut milk along with chickpeas and liquid. Heat until boiling, reduce to a simmer, and leave it to tick over for half an hour, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Season with salt, then stir in the basil leaves.

Use the back of a spoon forming small wells across the base, break eggs into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg with a little salt, then cover the pan with a lid, and cook on a low heat briefly, until egg whites firm with yolks still runny. Take off the heat, top with fresh herbs and thinly sliced finger chillies, ready to enjoy.

Spicy Sausage Sauce with Tangy Peppers Baked Eggs

Prep 10 min
Cook 45 minutes
Serves 2

Oil
Merguez sausages
1 tbsp harissa
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
Tomato base
Salt
4 eggs
1 handful pickled peppers, coarsely cut
Chopped herbs, finely chopped
Greek yogurt
Fresh lemon, sliced into wedges, for serving

Use a heavy pan over medium flame. Add two tablespoons of olive oil once hot, remove the skins from the sausages forming small bits of the meat into the pan, almost like little meatballs. Turn down the heat, then slowly brown the sausagemeat, releasing flavorful oils. Stir merguez as they cook, so they colour on all sides.

Once browned, mix in spices and garlic into the skillet, turn up the heat to medium and cook, stirring, briefly, when fragrant, with garlic cooked. Pour in tomato contents, season with salt heat to simmer. Lower to gentle simmer and simmer slowly about 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, intensify in color, as oils separate.

Employ utensil to create four little pockets in the sauce, add eggs individually. Dust with salt with a little salt, cover skillet. Cook for two to three minutes over a low heat, until whites firm and yolks warmed.

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