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Let me explain: the best baked eggs are made without baking. When testing these recipes, I found that simply adding a lid generates steam that gently cooks the eggs, yielding tender perfectly poached egg featuring set whites and flowing center. The intense, dry heat from baking acts stronger compared to steaming, typically causing to dehydrate ingredients and harden the yolk. Presenting two flavorful bases to get started, encouraging customization. The first features an easy coconut turmeric blend, while the merguez ragu is a riff on eggs in purgatory, or simply put, spicy tomato eggs.

Golden Coconut Sauce Steamed Eggs (pictured above)

Prep A quick 10 minutes
Cooking time 55 min
Serves 2

Olive oil
1 onion, trimmed and minced
Fine sea salt
Two garlic cloves, minced garlic
10g fresh ginger, minced ginger
Turmeric powder
Toasted cumin
Curry leaves
200ml coconut milk
Canned chickpeas
Basil leaves, with more for garnish
4 eggs
Fresh chilies, thinly cut, 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. Mix in garlic, ginger, and spices, leave to sizzle, mixing now and then for a few minutes, pour in creamy liquid along with chickpeas and liquid. Heat until boiling, reduce to a simmer, allow to cook slowly for half an hour, until thick and golden. Adjust seasoning, then stir in the basil leaves.

With a spoon’s back to create four little pockets within the sauce, break eggs into each. Dust each egg with salt, cover the skillet, gently heat for a few minutes, until egg whites firm with yolks still runny. Turn off stove, top with fresh herbs plus chili slices, then serve immediately.

Spicy Sausage Sauce and Pickled Peppers Baked Eggs

Preparation Quick prep
Cooking time 45 min
Yields 2

Oil
2 merguez-style lamb sausages
Harissa paste
Toasted cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced garlic
400g good-quality tinned tomatoes
Salt
4 eggs
Tangy peppers, coarsely cut
Chopped herbs, diced
Greek yogurt
Fresh lemon, wedge-cut, as garnish

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot at moderate temperature. Add two tablespoons of olive oil when heated, remove the skins from the sausages and pinch small amounts adding to pan, resembling tiny meatballs. Reduce heat, then slowly brown the sausagemeat, releasing flavorful oils. Stir merguez while cooking, to brown evenly.

After browning, mix in spices and garlic into the skillet, adjust to moderate flame sauté while stirring, briefly, until the mix smells fragrant, with garlic cooked. Tip in the tomatoes, add seasoning let it bubble. Lower to gentle simmer and simmer slowly for twenty minutes. The ragu will reduce, intensify in color, while the oils split and rise to the top.

Employ utensil to create four little pockets in the sauce, break eggs in. Dust with salt lightly salted, then cover the pan with a lid. Cook for two to three minutes gently, when eggs set and the yolks just warm.

Take off the heat, top with pickled peppers, parsley, a blob of yoghurt, and a drizzle of oil, with lemon on side.