Toast the Sourdough: Drizzle both sides of your sourdough slices with the olive oil. Place a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the bread and toast for 2-3 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown and crisp. You can also do this under a hot grill. Set aside on your plates.

Prepare the Avocado: While the bread is toasting, halve the avocado, remove the stone, and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Add the lemon juice, sea salt flakes, and black pepper.

Mash to Perfection: Using a fork, mash the avocado against the side of the bowl until you reach your desired consistency. I find that leaving it slightly chunky adds a lovely texture to the final dish. Taste and add a little more salt or lemon if needed.

Melt the Butter: In a clean non-stick frying pan, melt the unsalted butter over a medium-low heat. It’s important not to have the heat too high. Allow the butter to melt completely and start to foam gently.

Fry the Eggs: Carefully crack the two eggs into the pan, leaving space between them. Let them cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes, until the whites are mostly opaque but the top of the yolk is still raw.

The Basting Technique: Now for the crucial step. Gently tilt the pan towards you so the hot butter pools at the edge. Using a spoon, scoop up the hot, foaming butter and baste it over the egg whites and yolks repeatedly for 1-2 minutes. This method, which you can read more about on sites like Serious Eats, cooks the top of the egg gently, setting the whites and warming the yolk without it solidifying. The yolk will turn a beautiful opaque orange.

Assemble the Toast: While the eggs finish, spread the mashed avocado generously over your toasted sourdough slices.

Serve Immediately: Using a spatula, carefully lift the butter-basted eggs from the pan and place one on top of each avocado toast. Garnish with a sprinkle of red chilli flakes and the freshly chopped chives. Serve straight away while everything is hot and delicious.