Earlier Monday in St. Louis, where officials estimated a Friday tornado damaged 5,000 buildings and may cost well over $1 billion, the mayor warned that federal assistance could take weeks.
“La Rufina started as a very small kitchen,” said the 30-year-old chef, a native of the Lake Titicaca region. “We never dreamed of having two locations or being included in the 50 Best Discovery list.”Llusco is one of a growing wave of Latin American chefs drawing inspiration from their roots, elevating the humble street food of Bolivia to haute cuisine.
Stepping through La Rufina, opened in 2021, is like taking a journey through Bolivian traditions. Diners can mingle with— Indigenous women wearing the traditional, multilayered Andean skirts and black hats — and sample the flavors of street corners and markets.A food vendor prepares a dish at the Yungas Market dining room in La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
A food vendor prepares a dish at the Yungas Market dining room in La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)People eat pork cracklings at a street food stall in La Paz, Bolivia, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
People eat pork cracklings at a street food stall in La Paz, Bolivia, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
The menu highlights local favorites, such as the baked potato stuffed with savory minced meat stew, a downtown La Paz staple. Another signature dish prepared by Llusco is “anticucho,” a popular Peruvian street food dish of grilled beef heart fillets served with potatoes and yellow chili pepper sauce.In this recipe from our cookbook “
,” we devised a dough that gets flavor and texture from almonds that are ground in the food processor, plus a small measure of semolina (or cornmeal). Lemon zest brings brightness, and baking powder adds a little lift and lightness.Sour cherry jam, with its balance of sweet and sour, is best in this tart; some brands might specify Morello cherries on the label. If sour cherry jam is not available, good-quality strawberry jam is a better option than sweet cherry jam.
Don’t use part-skim ricotta, as it lacks richness and has a grainy texture. Also, after making the crust mixture and transferring half to the pan, be sure to refrigerate the remainder, which will become the crumb topping.If it’s kept at room temperature, it won’t hold its shape during baking and will melt into the filling.Lastly, don’t spread the ricotta and jam layers all the way to the edges or the filling will caramelize against and stick to the pan, making it tricky to remove the tart for serving. Covered tightly, leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days; bring to room temperature before serving.