Cheese, pepper give Peace of Pie’s Hot Apple Pie some kick

A: "We couldn't have been more flattered when you called and asked for [the recipe for] our Hot Apple Pie, " said Faye Morris, owner of Peace of Pie. The cafe serves breakfast and lunch Mondays through Fridays. Everything on the menu is homemade, including the vanilla cookies in their banana pudding, served on "banana pudding Thursdays."

Morris said “pies are our passion, ” and the cafe offers gluten-free, vegan and sugar-free versions. Morris’ passion for pies is evident in the very specific directions for her pie crust. Following the directions will yield a perfect crust. By the way, the “hot” in the name of the recipe refers to the use of cayenne pepper in the crust. She makes this pie with both a lattice top (double the crust ingredients listed here) and with a streusel topping.

Peace of Pie’s Hot Apple Pie

The bonus for this recipe? Roll out any dough scraps, cut into strips and bake along with the pie. Instant cheese straws!

3 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons, divided

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

13 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoons, frozen, divided

3 tablespoons shortening, cut into tablespoons, frozen

1 pound Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 medium)

1 pound Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 medium)

1 pound Rome apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 medium)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup light brown sugar

Salt

To make the dough: In a small measuring cup, stir together water, vinegar and salt. When salt is dissolved, refrigerate the mixture.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine 1 cup and 2 tablespoons flour with cayenne and pulse 5 times. Add cheese and pulse 20 times. Remove bowl from food processor and put in freezer for 15 minutes.

Return bowl to food processor and add 5 tablespoons frozen butter and shortening pieces. Pulse about 10 times or until pieces of butter and shortening are the size of nickels. Add reserved water-vinegar mixture while continuing to pulse. Pulse mixture until it just begins to hold together. Remove dough from processor and turn out onto work surface. Lightly knead dough together to form a ball. Flatten into a 5-inch circle, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, up to overnight.

To make the filling: While dough is resting, in a large bowl, combine Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Rome apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, remaining 1/4 cup flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Move mixture to a colander placed inside a large bowl. Allow apples to drain for 30 minutes up to 1 hour.

To make the streusel topping: In a food processor, combine remaining 1 cup flour with remaining 8 tablespoons butter and pulse about 3 times. Add oatmeal, light brown sugar and a pinch of salt and pulse 5 times. Set aside.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust and assemble: Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll into a circle large enough to fill a 9- or 10-inch pie pan. Fill pie with apple mixture, discarding apple juices in bowl. Sprinkle streusel over apples. Cut a circle of aluminum foil slightly larger than pie pan. Cut out 5-inch circle in center of foil and place remaining foil ring over pie, lightly crimping to hold foil in place over pie. This will prevent the edges from browning too quickly.

Bake pie 35 minutes, then remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer or until juices begin to bubble in pie. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Serves: 10

Per serving: 490 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 9 grams protein, 54 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 27 grams fat (14 grams saturated), 55 milligrams cholesterol, 369 milligrams sodium.