My name is Layla Pujol, my family and friends call me Laylita. I was born in Vilcabamba, Ecuador and currently live in Luxembourg. I spent several years in the US, both in Austin and in Seattle, and our family recently moved to Europe. My recipes are inspired mainly by traditional Ecuadorian dishes that I grew up eating in Ecuador. However, my love of food – and therefore the recipes posted here – go beyond Ecuador and include anything from Latin America, my mom’s spicy New Mexican cooking, my grandmother’s homemade Southwestern dishes and Texas style BBQ, my husband’s (and his family’s) delicious French food, new dishes introduced by my amazing group of international friends, and of course the great variety of seafood, vegetables and fruits available in the Pacific Northwest.
I am currently working on my first cookbook, which will focus on delicious Ecuadorian recipes (adapted to my style, of course!).
The longer version of my story
My approach to cooking and general instructions for using this site
Additional contact information
Photo and content use
Recipe development, product reviews, disclosure, and advertising
Privacy policy
If you have any questions or comments you can leave them in the comment section, or you can email me directly layla at laylita dot com
Hola Laylita, Yo soy ecuatoriano y vivo en el area de la bahia en San Francisco. Me gusta cocinar y sobre todo me encanta comer una buena comida. Hasta el dia de hoy, tu pagina web es la mejor fuente de informacion de comida ecuatoriana que he encontrado. He cocinado junto con mi esposa algunas de tus recetas y dejame decirte que he estado encantado con los resultados; nada como comer una comida ecuatoriana fuera de tu pais.
Solamente queria felicitarte por el excepcional trabajo que has hecho para hacer estas recetas especialmente las fotos de los pasos en cada comida. Gracias por permitirme disfrutar de una de las cosas que mas extrano de mi pais… la comida ecuatoriana.
Voy a traducir esto para que otras personas puedan entenderlo
Hi Laylita, I am from Ecuador and I live in the San Francisco bay area. I like to cook, but best of all I love to eat a good meal. By far, your Website is the best source of Ecuadorian food information that I have found. I have cooked with my wife some of your recipes, and let me tell you that I have been charmed with the results; nothing like eating Ecuadorian food outside of your country.
I just wanted to congratulate you for the exceptional work you have done to make these recipes, specially the pictures for the steps in each meal. Thank you for letting me enjoy one of the things that I miss the most from my country… the Ecuadorian food.
Hi Layla,
we stumbled on your website looking for the recipe of the Ecuadorian hornado, which we tried at a South American festival in London last weekend and just loved!
We are a *mixed* couple as well as I am Italian and Rob is English, and we have great fun cooking dishes from our own countries. But we love good food in general and your website is really well made, so congratulations for it and keep up the great work!
Layla, Wow… What a great surprise to find your website. It is marvelous!
I love to cook; I have traveled a lot through Ecuador in the last few years and I have really fallen in love with this place. Your website is wonderful and so are all your recipes… Thank you SO MUCH for sharing them. I have become close friends with a family in Ambato and they just spent 4 weeks visiting my home here in Atlanta and went back To Ecuador last Sunday. I wish I had found your site sooner because my friend Carmela would have enjoyed it (I will send her the link).
Incidentally… To Fanny Jessenia… If you read this; welcome to Georgia! I live on the west side of Atlanta and I have other friends who live here in Atlanta who are from Equador also.
Muchos Saludos desde Atlanta,
Bud G.
Hi, Layla…
I would like to commend you on a wonderful website… I was in the process of looking for a good aji sauce and I came across your website by accident… I must say that I am glad I clicked on your link…! I am of Puertorican decent and I love Ecuadorian, Columbian and Peruvian food with a passion… I am excited about trying your recipes on my family… Your step by step instructions and photographs are EXCELLENT… Thanks again, your newest FAN, Norma
Hello Laylita
I was searching for “llapingachos” on Google when you were the first on the list. I was born in Ecuador and I will never forget the original taste of the llapingachos. My wife is from Lithuania and cooks something similar but your recipe probe to be the best. My kids love the “llapingachos” with lots of Ketchup. I guess we added the american way for the llapingachos. Keep up with your great blog and work.
Ciao
I didn’t expect to find any recipes or instructions when I did a search for “helado de paila”. It is a disappearing traditional food – only to be enjoyed in an ever-diminishing number of little shops off the beaten path in Ecuador. My pleasant surprise at finding your recipe quickly gave way to elation when I learned that I had discovered not one recipe but a beautiful and painstakingly detailed website dedicated to Ecuadorian cuisine. I’m charmed to see the labor of love you’re sharing with the world.
During my years in Ecuador, I earned fame among my friends as the gringo that was “más ecuatoriano que uno” due to my penchant for street vendors and traditional foods. I’m excited to explore your recipes and rediscover some old favorites. Many thanks!
Good Morning, It was a blessing find your recepies. I’m Ecuadorian, from Ambato and now I live in Georgia in the north side, here I think, I’m the only Ecuadorian, then when I cook, the people always ask: how do you that?, I’m sending your link to all my American friends and they are delighted, and we are planing to prepare together your wanderfull recepies. I have a question for you, when I prepare quimbolitos, the difficult part is find the “Achira Leaves” to wrap the quimbolito, do you know the cientific name to try to buy some bulbs and plant it at home? or maybe, have you been try with other leaves to wrap it up?. Thank you again, my God bless you and your beautiful family.
Hi Fanny – I use banana leaves to wrap the quimbolitos, I buy packs of the frozen leaves in the latin grocery market (same thing also applies to Ecuadorian tamales). Previously, before I could find the frozen banana leaves I used foil/parchment paper.
I made your tilapia ceviche this week and it was outstanding!
Laylita,
I love your website. My husband is Ecuadorian. Most of his family lives in the states and I get recipes from his mom but I like to venture out and learn how to make different things to show my cooking ability :-) Your site really helps me do this. I am looking forward to hearing your response to an email that I sent you earlier today.
I am making my own “cook book” for my girls based off of your recipes. It makes it easier for them to learn how to make traditional dishes as well.
hello. thanks for sharing your recipes. empanada dough led me here. i’ve tried other dough recipes but your sweet empanada dough hit the spot. thanks again.