Although Bill uses cannelleni beans in this recipe, you can use any random can that’s stuck at the back of your store cupboard as the main base of this dish.
The recipe is called "mean" because the curry powder gives it a big kick!
Top tip: Break an egg into a little saucer first, if you're worried you might break the yolk.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
100g bacon, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 good-quality anchovies or dash of Worchester sauce
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp mild curry powder
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 eggs
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, torn
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
3. Add the onion and fry, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the bacon and garlic
and fry until the pancetta is golden. Add the anchovies, oregano, curry powder and tomatoes. Cook
until the sauce thickens, then add the cannellini beans and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, until the
sauce coats the beans. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Divide the beans into four 200ml ramekins. Carefully break a raw egg onto the piping hot mixture in each ramekin, cover with foil and place on a baking sheet.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the egg has just set. Dress with the parsley and a sprinkling of ground black pepper. Serve immediately.