A paila (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpajla]) is a type of cookware that in several Spanish-speaking South American countries refers to a large shallow metal pan or earthenware bowl which oftentimes is also used as a serving plate for the foods prepared in it. Dishes served in clay pailas are often prepared in the paila itself by way of baking in an oven.
By extension, the word paila is also used for the dishes that are eaten from it, such as paila marina and paila de huevo. An advantage of the clay paila is that clay retains heat well and keeps foods warm. Its Valencian equivalent is the paella, which is simply referred to as arroz (rice) by the locals.