Bring about 1½- to 2-inches of water to a boil in a wide deep sauté pan or Dutch oven. As soon as it reaches a boil, turn the heat down until the water is just barely simmering. Wait a minute or two so you can control this temperature and keep the simmer steady while you prepare the eggs.

One at a time, crack each egg through a very fine strainer. The strainer will strain out any watery whites so that you’ll be poaching just the freshest parts of the egg. Discard the watery whites and place the strained egg in a small bowl.

One at a time, gently slide each egg from the bowl into the water, making sure to leave enough room for each egg away from the others. Use a slotted spoon to gently move the eggs as they set, so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan or each other.

Time the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on how well done you want the yolks cooked.

Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and test for doneness just by pushing on the yolk gently with your finger. Gently pat the egg with a paper towel to dry it before serving it on the toasted bread, sprinkling the chives, salt and pepper over the top.