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So, hear me out: the most delicious egg dishes are made without baking. During recipe development, discovering that covering the pan produces a humid atmosphere to cook the top of the eggs, yielding tender delicately prepared egg with firm whites and flowing center. Direct oven heat from baking proves harsher than steam, often leading making dishes dry and harden the yolk. Presenting two flavorful bases to get started, encouraging customization. One is a super-simple golden coconut sauce, whereas the spicy sausage sauce reimagines traditional spicy eggs, or, to the likes of you and me, eggs cooked in zesty tomato base.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Baked Eggs (shown above)

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 55 minutes
Yields Two servings

Extra virgin oil
One medium onion, trimmed and minced
Sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced garlic
10g fresh ginger, grated ginger
Golden spice
Toasted cumin
Curry leaves
Coconut milk
Chickpeas
Basil leaves, and additional for topping
4 eggs
Green chilies, finely sliced, to serve

Use a heavy skillet on a medium-high heat. Pour in some oil, toss in the onion seasoned with salt, sauté for several minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin seeds and curry leaves, allow to cook, occasionally stirring briefly, pour in creamy liquid along with chickpeas and liquid. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, allow to cook slowly for 30-35 minutes, until thick and golden. Adjust seasoning, then stir in the basil leaves.

Employ a utensil making four indentations within the sauce, add eggs individually. Sprinkle the top of each egg lightly salted, place a lid on the pan, simmer over low heat for a few minutes, when whites are cooked with yolks still runny. Take off the heat, finish with a few extra basil leaves and sliced chilies, then serve immediately.

Merguez Ragu with Tangy Peppers Steamed Eggs

Prep Quick prep
Cooking time 45 minutes
Yields Two portions

Olive oil
Merguez sausages
Spicy paste
Cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
Canned tomatoes
Fine sea salt
Fresh eggs
Tangy peppers, coarsely cut
Fresh parsley, minced
Creamy yogurt
Fresh lemon, wedge-cut, for serving

Use a heavy pan on a medium heat. Pour in oil when heated, peel sausages and break off pieces of the meat into the pan, resembling tiny meatballs. Reduce heat, then slowly brown the sausagemeat, extracting spicy fats. Stir merguez as they cook, to brown evenly.

After browning, incorporate harissa, cumin, and garlic to the pot, increase to medium heat sauté while stirring, briefly, until the mix smells fragrant, and garlic softens. Pour in tomato contents, salt to taste let it bubble. Reduce to low heat and leave to blip away for twenty minutes. The ragu will reduce, intensify in color, while the oils split and rise to the top.

Use the back of a spoon making indentations across base, break eggs in. Sprinkle the top of each egg lightly salted, then cover the pan with a lid. Simmer briefly gently, when eggs set and yolks warmed.

Take off the heat, finish with chopped pickled peppers, parsley and yogurt, and a drizzle of oil, with lemon on side.