Aoife McElwain's Messy Eggs

Method

1. Make your hot buttered toast.

2. Make your coffee or tea.

3. Melt about a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. It’s showtime for the eggs now. Give them 100% of your attention for the next few steps, which is approximately 90 seconds in real time. Ready?

4. When the butter is melted and sizzling, crack the eggs directly into the pan. Use a wooden spoon to immediately start mixing the eggs around, breaking up the whites and yolks. Mix continuously for 15–20 seconds. Let the eggs rest in the pan for 10–15 seconds, then mix again for 15 seconds.

5. At the 45-second to 1-minute mark, the eggs will start to come together. Just watch them for 15 seconds. Don’t be tempted to look at your phone or take out the bins or tidy up. Just watch the eggs. That’s your one job. Stir them from time to time. My messy eggs are done after 90 seconds. You might want them a little less cooked or a little more cooked.

6. Serve on top of your buttered toast with a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a generous drizzle of your favourite chilli oil or hot sauce. Best eaten straight away.