🔗 Share this article

Consider this: the best baked eggs don’t ever hit the oven. When testing these recipes, discovering that covering the pan generates steam that gently cooks the eggs, delivering a gently cooked perfectly poached egg with firm whites and flowing center. Direct oven heat from baking proves harsher versus moist heat, typically causing to dry everything out and overcook the yolk. Presenting two flavorful bases to get started, but get creative. One is a super-simple turmeric coconut curry, while the merguez ragu puts a twist on eggs in purgatory, or, to the likes of you and me, eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce.

Golden Coconut Sauce Baked Eggs (shown above)

Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking time 55 minutes
Yields Two people

Extra virgin oil
1 onion, trimmed and minced
Salt
2 garlic cloves, minced garlic
10g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Turmeric powder
Cumin seeds
6-8 curry leaves
200ml coconut milk
Canned chickpeas
Fresh basil, with more for garnish
Four eggs
Green chilies, thinly cut, as garnish

Heat a cast-iron pan at moderate-high temperature. Pour in some oil, toss in the onion with some salt, fry until softened. 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. Let it bubble, reduce to a simmer, allow to cook slowly about 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 to create four little pockets in the sauce, break eggs into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg with a little salt, cover the skillet, gently heat for two to three minutes, until egg whites firm and the yolks just warm. Turn off stove, garnish with more basil plus chili slices, then serve immediately.

Merguez Ragu with Tangy Peppers Baked Eggs

Prep Quick prep
Cooking time Under an hour
Serves Two

Olive oil
Merguez sausages
1 tbsp harissa
1 tsp cumin seeds
Garlic cloves, minced garlic
Tomato base
Salt
Four eggs
1 handful pickled peppers, coarsely cut
Fresh parsley, diced
Greek yogurt
Fresh lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Heat a skillet at moderate temperature. Pour in oil when heated, remove the skins from the sausages and pinch small amounts into the skillet, like mini balls. Turn down the heat, cook until golden, extracting spicy fats. Stir merguez as they cook, to brown evenly.

Once browned, mix in spices and garlic into the skillet, adjust to moderate flame fry with mixing, for several minutes, when fragrant, and the garlic has lost its raw edge. Tip in the tomatoes, add seasoning and bring to a simmer. Lower to gentle simmer cooking gently for 20 minutes. Sauce will thicken, thicken and deepen in colour, while the oils split and rise to the top.

With a spoon to create four little pockets within sauce, break eggs in. Dust with salt with a little salt, then cover the pan with a lid. Simmer briefly gently, when eggs set and the yolks just warm.

Remove from heat, finish with chopped pickled peppers, herbs, yogurt dollop, and a drizzle of oil, accompanied by lemon.