Fried Eggs

The fried egg is the quickest breakfast: ready in a few minutes, yet it has one or two small knacks that always make it perfect.

1. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat – it should not be smoking hot, or the bottom of the egg burns.

2. Crack the eggs one by one into a cup, then slide them gently into the pan, so their yolks stay intact.

3. Fry them over a medium heat, until the white sets nicely.

4. Leave the yolk softly runny.

5. Salt and pepper them, and serve immediately.

Tip: If you like the top set more firmly too, cover the pan for a minute – the steam cooks it through from above.