Method

In a medium-sized pan, preheat the olive oil. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes until crispy. 

Peel the onion and thinly slice into rings (alternatively, slice the whole onions in halves, then thinly slice into half moons). Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Sweat the onions over a low heat for about 20 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the sugar and salt and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

To prepare the baby spinach, roll a small bunch of leaves up like a cigar, then slice thinly.

To assemble, start with a nest of spinach at the base of each ramekin, add some of the caramelised onions, then add a tablespoon or two of crispy pancetta (depending on the size of your ramekins) to each dish, reserve some pancetta for garnishing at the end. You then need to add two eggs per ramekin. Tip: first crack each egg into a separate cup and then pour the eggs, one at a time, into the ramekin; if a yolk breaks when cracked directly into the dish, it will be difficult to remove. 

Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of cream to each ramekin. Season with salt and place into the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes; keep an eye on them, you want the whites to be set and the yolks still soft.

For the sourdough, thinly slice the bread into soldiers for easy dipping into the yolks. In a medium-sized pan, add the knob of butter and allow it to melt. Add the sourdough soldiers and fry on all sides until golden and crispy.

To Serve

Garnish each ramekin with a sprinkle of chives, extra pancetta and micro herbs (optional). Serve with sourdough soldiers on the side.