Cooking begins like any game: with a spark of curiosity and a bit of mess on the table. Inspired by the Tic-Tac-Toe collection, we partner with Hermanas Arce to explore how playing and cooking share more than we think — intuition, instinct, and joy in the simple act of creating.
Two recipes, two sets of moves, and endless ways to make them your own.
Inspired by a simple quince dessert the sisters Arce had in a restaurant in Istanbul, this dish turns soft red quinces into a stunning treat with tangy labneh and toasted walnuts. Sometimes the simplest desserts are the most surprising. Serving size: 8.
INGREDIENTS
4 quinces
1.5 liters of water
450 grams of white sugar
2 lemons
8 tablespoons of labneh
Toasted chopped walnuts
HOW TO MAKE IT
1. In a large pot, combine water and sugar.
2. Add lemon peel and juice.
3. Peel the quinces and cut them in halves. Add to the pot. Cook on medium-high until sugar dissolves and water starts to boil.
4. Cover and cook gently for 1 to 1.5 hours, until quinces are soft.
5. Remove the lid and increase heat slightly. Reduce liquid to a syrupy consistency for 40–50 minutes. Let quinces cool in the syrup.
6. Remove the cores carefully. Store in the fridge if not serving immediately.
TO SERVE
Place one quince half per person with a few tablespoons of syrup. Add a spoonful of labneh in the cavity and sprinkle with toasted walnuts.
NOTES
Even if dessert is for 4, it’s recommended to cook all 4 quinces. Extras keep in the syrup for a week and are great on their own or with yogurt and granola.
Labneh is strained salted yogurt, as made by the sisters Arce. Greek yogurt works too.
This sauce (or pesto) is the best way to eat kale without noticing. Kale gets soft when boiled and mixes with garlic, cheese, lemon, and chili to make tasty green pasta. Serving size: 3–4.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE PESTO
4 fat garlic cloves (or 5 small ones)
About 90 grams of kale leaves (from 5–6 stems)
75 grams of walnuts
40 grams of grated Parmesan or Grana Padano
2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
50 grams of extra virgin olive oil
Half a teaspoon of chili
Salt
PLUS
400 to 450 grams of pasta (like bucatini)
Extra Parmesan for sprinkling (optional)
HOW TO MAKE IT
1. Boil the garlic and kale for 5 minutes.
2. Put them in a blender and add the walnuts, cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, chili, and salt. Add a little of the cooking water if the pesto is too thick. Taste and adjust salt, acidity, and texture.
3. Cook the pasta in the same water where you boiled the kale. Add a good pinch of salt. A few minutes before the pasta is ready, save a cup of pasta cooking water.
4. Put the pesto in a bowl or another pot to mix it with the pasta. When the pasta is ready, use tongs to move it into the pesto and mix well. If the sauce is too thick or the pasta isn’t loose, add some pasta water. Taste and adjust salt or consistency if needed.
5. Divide onto plates and sprinkle extra Parmesan if you like.
The table is set! Get in the mood with a look from the AW25 Tic-Tac-Toe collection.
It’s all part of the game: mixing textures, layering color, following your own rules.
Ana and Elena Arce @hermanasarce are the hands and heart behind a simple, soulful kitchen where everything is made from scratch. From their space in Madrid, they blend homemade ease with creative flair — and now, they share a taste of their world with us through playful, delicious recipes. PH: @oliram12
HAVE FUN!
