Llapingachos

Ecuador — Tungurahua province; a pre-Columbian tradition of potato cakes adapted with the addition of fresh cheese after Spanish contact; associated with the central Andean highlands

Ecuador's beloved potato-cheese patties — mashed white potato combined with sautéed onion and fresh salty cheese (queso fresco), formed into flat rounds, and pan-fried in oil or lard until a golden crust forms on each side while the interior remains soft and yielding. The cheese must be a fresh, non-melting variety (queso fresco or queso blanco) that maintains distinct pockets of salt and texture within the mashed potato rather than melting into it — the identity of the dish depends on biting through the potato exterior and finding cheese cubes within. Llapingachos are served at Andean markets and festivals and as a side dish with fried egg, avocado, chorizo, and curtido (pickled onion). The name traces to Quechua 'llap llap' (flat, flat).

Served as part of a seco de pollo plate; at markets with fried egg, chorizo, and avocado; the llapingacho sits in the centre of the plate as the starch anchor; peanut sauce (salsa de maní) is the traditional accompaniment in Ambato