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 have been following your site for a couple of years now. Made Mote Pillo following your recipe and it was great (even though we can’t get the mote the size I use now). Also made the Chaulafan, but I really load it up with every possible carne… res, cerdo, camarones, pollo, etc.
I took two months of Spanish Language School at Simon Bolivar in Cuenca and loved every minute (except the homework… jajaja). I moved to Cuenca in September of 2013, got my visa and Cedula and have been todo tranquilo ever since. My wife will be joining me this summer for 4 weeks and permanently in 2015 after she completes her contract with the school system in Hillsboro, OR.
Had my first ever bowl of Fanesca on Thursday, celebrating Holy Week here in Cuenca. It was great.
Please keep up your good work as it’s fun to cook with fresh ingredients that I get at the mercado (10 de augusto in Cuenca) every week.
¡Muchas gracias! for sharing your expertise and love of cooking Ecuadorian. If you and Nico ever get to Cuenca on a home visit to Vilcabamba, please let me know, so we can all share a cup of cáfe at Don Colón’s in Cuenca :-)
Just love your website! We visited Ecuador last year and loved it. We spent one month and visited Quito, Cuenca, Guayaquil and Montanita.
We look forward to your cookbook and trying your recipes which will remind us of the wonderful people and food that we enjoyed in Ecuador.
I will be looking forward to your book! best of luck! I live in Germany now, used to lived in NY with my mom, so mom is not around sometimes when I have questions or tips for ecuadorian meals so I come here to find tips or recipes and other plates that are just amazing. I’m making pescado encocado today my German bf is looking forward to it, he is also an amazing cook, he always loves when I cook but when I made the humitas the other day as a cake, he was just like that’s the best thing I have ever ate! :)
Hello Laylita!
I found your blog a couple of years ago when I was trying to find some Ecuadorian recipes. You see though my grandmother, who is from Guayaquil, is still alive but we don’t exactly see eye to eye when we’re both cooking. So I had to learn to make traditional dishes on my own. I love her but we’re both too domineering in the kitchen. I have found every dish I ever remember her making while I was growing up. My favorite is and always will be humas though. So thank you so much! I too live in the Seattle area but I am originally from the Los Angeles area.
Warm Regards,
Alanna Argudo
Laylita,
I simply want to say Thank You. My mother passed away when I was very young and (both parents immigrants from Guayaquil & Cuenca respectively) and my father knew how to make a few recipes…but finding your blog, making your recipes has brought the breath back into my home. Flavors I had forgotten from when my mother cooked for us brought memories rushing back, happy and sad. I, too, now live in the Seattle area and have a 2 year old daughter. I am joyfully raising her within a home full of the kind of love my mother brought via her cooking. This is my happiness. And I thank you for providing the vehicle for me to get here through your recipes. I anxiously await your cookbook and plan on making it a gift to my sisters, as well.
Warmly,
Clara Larco
Layla, podrias hablarnos de tu fotografia? Me encanta!
Gracias, Jaime! Hay also especifico que te gustaria saber?
Laylita,
SOS! Can I make hornado with Pork Shoulder??
Paulina
Yes, of course. Follow the recipe for the simple/easy version of hornado:
https://www.laylita.com/recipes/2012/11/08/ecuadorian-hornado-or-slow-roasted-pork/
You are the reason I cook!!! I absolutely adore your blog, and you. Thank you soooo much for posting these delicious Ecuadorian recipes.
Hola Laylita:
Live in Quito for 2 plus year, your country is lovely, esp la gente y la comida — especialmente las sopitas!! I LOVE cooking the food here. I use M. Fried’s cookbook (she knows of you, she said) and I use your blog — it is very good. However, I cannot anywhere find the standard oil and lemon juice aji which I love the best. With chochos at El Pobre Diablo, they make the best.
Do I have to ask them for the recipe?
I lived in CHile for two years and made yummy pebre regularly and chimichurri, another favorite. WIth steaks and beef, es fabuloso… aji is very very good so please post a response because I want to make your aji! (Will try the maracuya recipe too)
YOur site is wonderful except it is hard to find the COMMENTS section, even when I asked your site , no response. Please fix that?
Hi Susan – Thank you for the comment, I love Michelle O. Fried’s book (or books as I think she has new one out that sounds amazing). I’m not familiar with the aji you are talking about, it might a specialty of that particular restaurant. I had a really good aji in Cuenca that was made with olive oil, aji peppers and garlic, almost like a spicy aji infused oil, not sure if it’s similar.
laylita, awesome recipes from Ecuador. I was born in Guayaquil and love your website. making dulce de leche empanadas this evening for a party. thanks for your website, just love it.