Baked Eggs with Salsa and Mozzarella recipe

Use the middle shelf so the heat circulates evenly and the oven has fully reached temperature before the dish goes in; a properly preheated oven helps the whites set cleanly without overcooking the yolks.

Warm the dish first so the butter melts on contact, then tilt it to coat the corners and sides right up to the rim; any dry patches can make the salsa catch and stick.

Make the wells deep enough to cradle each egg without the whites spreading too far, and crack each egg into a small cup first to avoid broken yolks or shell fragments.

Keep the cheese fairly even but do not pack it down, as a dense layer can trap steam and turn the top oily instead of nicely molten.

Check at the 12-minute mark for opaque whites and yolks that still wobble slightly when the dish is nudged; if the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the final few minutes.

Let the dish stand briefly so the molten salsa settles and the eggs finish firming from residual heat, which makes serving neater and prevents the whites from tearing as you spoon it out.