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So, hear me out: the best baked eggs don’t ever hit the oven. When testing these recipes, discovering that covering the pan produces a humid atmosphere for cooking the egg tops, delivering a gently cooked soft-cooked egg with a tender white and a warm, runny yolk. The harsh, arid temperature of the oven acts stronger than steam, often leading to dry everything out and harden the yolk. Here are two sauce options as a jumping-off point, though feel free to experiment. The first features an easy turmeric coconut curry, while the merguez ragu is a riff on traditional spicy eggs, or simply put, eggs cooked in zesty tomato base.

Golden Coconut Sauce Baked Eggs (pictured above)

Prep 10 minutes
Cooking time Just under an hour
Serves 2

Extra virgin oil
One medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
Fine sea salt
Two garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
Fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
Turmeric powder
Toasted cumin
Curry leaves
Coconut milk
Chickpeas
Basil leaves, plus extra to serve
4 eggs
Fresh chilies, thinly cut, as garnish

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot on a medium-high heat. Add a shot of olive oil, add the chopped onion with some salt, fry until softened. Mix in garlic, ginger, and spices, allow to cook, stirring occasionally for a few minutes, then tip in the coconut milk including chickpea can contents. Let it bubble, lower heat to gentle cook, allow to cook slowly for half an hour, until thick and golden. Adjust seasoning, mix in fresh basil.

Employ a utensil forming small wells within the sauce, add eggs individually. Season eggs with salt, then cover the pan with a lid, simmer over low heat for a few minutes, when whites are cooked with yolks still runny. Turn off stove, top with fresh herbs and thinly sliced finger chillies, then serve immediately.

Spicy Sausage Sauce and Pickled Peppers Baked Eggs

Prep 10 minutes
Cook Under an hour
Yields Two portions

Oil
Merguez sausages
Harissa paste
Toasted cumin
Garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Tomato base
Fine sea salt
Fresh eggs
1 handful pickled peppers, coarsely cut
1 small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
Greek yogurt
1 lemon, wedge-cut, as garnish

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot over medium flame. Pour in oil once hot, peel sausages forming small bits into the skillet, resembling tiny meatballs. Lower temperature, brown the meat slowly, extracting spicy fats. Stir merguez as they cook, to brown evenly.

After browning, mix in spices and garlic into the skillet, adjust to moderate flame and cook, stirring, briefly, when fragrant, and the garlic has lost its raw edge. Pour in tomato contents, season with salt and bring to a simmer. Lower to gentle simmer and leave to blip away for 20 minutes. Ragu thickens, thicken and deepen in colour, while the oils split and rise to the top.

Use the back of a spoon forming wells across base, then crack an egg into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg with salt, cover skillet. Cook for two to three minutes gently, until whites firm and the yolks just warm.

Turn off stove, garnish with peppers, herbs, yogurt dollop, plus oil drizzle, with lemon on side.