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
I am Ecuadorian…from Guayaquil..And I just loved to go to your website..there is always something new to learn..My mother cooks so good just like if we were in Ecuador..I love Caldo de Bolas..And Encebollados and let’s not leave out El ceviche De Conchas….Deliciousss.
i just wanted to thank you for your well-written and beautiful website! I’m putting together an Ecuadorian menu for a Global Meal series I organize for some students at the UW-Madison because we’ll be hosting chocolate-makers from the wonderful Kallari Cooperative (www.kallari.com) and wanted a complementary meal. I came up with a menu through some research on traditional Ecuadorian dishes from various sources. But when it came time to find good recipes for many of these dishes, your site just kept popping up again and again, and was so helpful to me. The menu will probably look something like this: Cheese Empanadas with Aji criollo, Locro, Pickled Onions, Ensalada Mixta, Patacones, Fish Ceviche, Mushroom Ceviche, Simple Ecuadorian-Style Rice, Mango-Orange Juice, Kallari Chocolates–with many of these recipes from your site! (if you have any suggestions about rounding out the menu or what could make it more traditional or delicious, please do share!) I’ll blog about the event after it happens in May, and will share the link with you then, so you can see your cooking influence spread. Thanks again.
i am SO glad i found your site. im half ecuadorian and have been to ecuador twice. I love it there … and the food is amazing. i am going to try the curtido next – it makes every dish taste delicious.
Hi! I’m about to go live in Ecuador for a few months and I stumbled upon your website while searching for Llapingacho photos. Not only did your Llapingacho recipe looked great, your other recipes look awesome too. Also, Seattle is my second home! :)
Hi Laylita: I want to thank you for taking the time and energy to put together this food blog that my Ecuadorian friends and I (I’m a “Gringa”) are enjoying so much. This Saturday a group of friends will get together to try your recipe for Caldo de Bolas de Verde. The only problem is that we can only access the recipe in English and most of my friends are really only fluent in Spanish. Could you possible email me the recipe if it in fact exists in Spanish. We would so much appreciate it. We have tried so many of your other recipes and just love them and the beautiful photos. You are helping to make many dislocated Ecuadorians feel at home no mater what country they are actually living in. Best regards, Tricia
Please come back!!!!
I found your blog while searching for a good patacones recipe! I spent last summer in Ecuador and have craved ceviche and patacones almost weekly since returning to Kansas City. Unfortunately, we don’t have a great selection of fresh seafood, but I’m excited to try your other Ecuadorian recipes and share the delicious food with my friends and family. Thanks!
Hi Laylita,
I love your web page! I’m from Ecuador and I’m currently living in Seattle. I’m pregnant and craving for ecuadorian food like crazy. I haven’t found food that could be similar to the ones of my country. Because I feel horrible when I cook I was wondering where to find a good restaurant in Seattle that could have ecuadorian food. Maybe you can help me out.
Thanks y muchos exitos!
Hi Carolina – I haven’t found any Ecuadorian restaurants in Seattle, however there is a good Peruvian restaurant in Portland called Andina. It has dishes that are very similar to typical Ecuadorian dishes.
Carolina
Hi Layla
Just found your blog whilst searching for the cheese empanada with sugar recipe that I had at a rooftop restaurant in Quito last year. The food looks amazing & I can’t wait to try something out!!
I will have to hunt through the site for the potato soup topped with avocado – yum!
I’m sure someone has already posted this to the comments, but tree tomatoes are known here in Australia as Tamarillos (but now thinking that sounds Spanish so you probably already know that :-) ) so maybe they are available under a different name.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Hola,
I stumbled up on your site when I searched for a pan de yuca recipe. I too am from Ecuador. But have been living in the States for almost 18 years… wow
I miss it SO much. I’ve only been back once, cannot wait to visit again.
I’m pregnant with my third bundle of joy and have been craving pan de yuca! I have such a nostalgic feeling for them. It was one of my favorite snacks… oh and don’t get me started with the delicious yogurt smoothies my favorite was naranjilla and mora yum…
Look forward to exploring your site :)
Ana, Houston Tx