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So, hear me out: the most delicious egg dishes never require an oven. Through culinary experiments, realizing that using a cover generates steam for cooking the egg tops, resulting in perfectly cooked soft-cooked egg featuring set whites and flowing center. The harsh, arid temperature from baking is much more aggressive than steam, and has a tendency to dehydrate ingredients resulting in firm yolks. Here are two sauce options as a jumping-off point, though feel free to experiment. Option one involves a straightforward coconut turmeric blend, whereas the spicy sausage sauce reimagines eggs in purgatory, essentially, spicy tomato eggs.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Baked Eggs (featured)

Preparation 10 min
Cooking time 55 min
Serves Two people

Olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
Fine sea salt
Two garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
10g fresh ginger, grated ginger
1 tbsp ground turmeric
Cumin seeds
6-8 curry leaves
Coconut milk
Canned chickpeas
Basil leaves, with more for garnish
Four eggs
2 green finger chillies, finely sliced, as garnish

Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high flame. Pour in some oil, incorporate onions seasoned with salt, sauté for several minutes. Incorporate aromatics and spices, allow to cook, occasionally stirring for three to four minutes, pour in creamy liquid and the chickpeas and their tin liquid. Let it bubble, lower heat to gentle cook, let it simmer about 35 minutes, until thick and golden. Adjust seasoning, mix in fresh basil.

Use the back of a spoon to create four little pockets within the sauce, add eggs individually. Season eggs lightly salted, then cover the pan with a lid, simmer over low heat for two to three minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks just warm. Turn off stove, garnish with more basil plus chili slices, ready to enjoy.

Spicy Sausage Sauce with Tangy Peppers Steamed Eggs

Prep Quick prep
Cooking time 45 min
Yields Two portions

Oil
Merguez sausages
Spicy paste
Cumin seeds
Garlic cloves, minced garlic
Tomato base
Fine sea salt
4 eggs
Pickled peppers, diced
Chopped herbs, diced
Greek yogurt
1 lemon, wedge-cut, to serve

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot on a medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil when heated, peel sausages and break off pieces adding to pan, like mini balls. Reduce heat, cook until golden, releasing flavorful oils. Roll the merguez pieces around the pan during cooking, for even browning.

Once browned, mix in spices and garlic to the pan, adjust to moderate flame and cook, stirring, for three to four minutes, until the mix smells fragrant, with garlic cooked. Tip in the tomatoes, add seasoning and bring to a simmer. Reduce to low heat and leave to blip away for twenty minutes. Ragu thickens, intensify in color, with oils separating and surfacing.

Employ utensil to create four little pockets across base, then crack an egg into each. Dust with salt with salt, cover skillet. Cook for two to three minutes over a low heat, until whites firm with yolks runny.

Take off the heat, garnish with peppers, parsley and yogurt, and oil splash, and serve with lemon wedges.