Problem: it's Sunday morning. You haven't done the washing up, but you need breakfast. Solution: fry your egg on a piece of paper, says Stefan Gates, gastronaut and author of On E Numbers. "It works because of conduction," he says. "The egg cools the paper, so the heat that goes into the paper spreads to the egg.
Although paper is not a brilliant conductor, it works well. When the egg is at a high enough temperature, the paper will burst into flames."
You will need
Four paper-clips, a sheet of A4 paper, a wire coat-hanger, a splash of oil, tongs, pliers, an oven glove, the smallest gas burner on your hob and one egg.
Make your pan
Pull the coat-hanger into a square shape, with the hook as a handle. Fix the paper to the pan frame with the four paper-clips.
Make sure the pan sits flat. If it's wonky, the egg will slide off the paper before you've even started.
Be prepared
Have a wet dishcloth standing by. In a few minutes, you'll be in contravention of basic health and safety guidelines, and as such you may have to smother some flames.
Prime the pan
Brush the oil on both sides of the paper pan and crack the egg into the middle. Turn the smallest gas burner on your hob to a very low heat.
Watch out
Pick up the pan with pliers or tongs, as the handle will get hot.
Only let the heat touch the paper with egg on it or you'll incinerate the pan (and the kitchen).
Get cooking
Don't be afraid to give it some heat -- you do want to eat before lunch. The egg should start cooking after a minute -- five should be plenty. The best bit: no washing up -- just bin your paper pan...
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
