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1
Mix the flour and 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl.
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2
In another medium bowl, break the butter up into bits with a fork or your fingertips.
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3
Add the egg yolks and sour cream and beat with a wooden spoon.
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4
Add to the flour mixture and stir.
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5
Add the lemon zest, if using.
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6
Use your fingers to break up lumps so the mixture has a coarse cornmeal texture.
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7
Add water a little at a time if needed to make the dough come together, blending it in, then pull the dough together into a mass.
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8
Place in a heavy plastic bag and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.
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9
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F.
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10
Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and sprinkle the bottom generously with the bread crumbs.
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11
Peel the apples.
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12
Using a coarse grater, grate the apples; you should have about 8 cups.
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13
Place the apples in a bowl, add the lemon juice and a little sugar if you wish, and toss well.
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14
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, cut it in half, and set one half aside.
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15
Place the other half in the cake pan and press it evenly to cover the bottom; it will be less than 1/4 inch thick.
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16
Pile on the grated apples, mounding them up in the middle; the pile will look high, but it will shrink during baking.
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17
Crumble the reserved dough over the apples to cover.
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18
Bake for 1 hour, or until the top of the pie is touched with golden brown.
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19
Serve hot or at room temperature.
