For crust:
· 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 c) cold unsalted butter
· 1 c all-purpose flour
· 3/4 c yellow cornmeal
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 3 tablespoons ice water
· pie weights or raw rice for weighting crust
For custard:
· 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
· 7 ounces mild soft goat cheese, softened
· 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, well softened
· 1/2 cup sour cream
· 2 large eggs
· 3/4 pound vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
Make crust: Cut butter into pieces.
In a food processor pulse together flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water and pulse until incorporated and mixture just forms a dough. Press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of a 10 1/2- by 7- by 1-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable fluted rim (see note, above) and roll a rolling pin over rim of pan to trim dough flush with rim. Chill crust about 20 minutes, or until firm.
While crust is chilling, preheat oven to 375°F.
Line crust with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake crust in lower third of oven until edge is set, 10 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights or rice and bake crust 5 minutes more, or until just dry. Leave oven on and cool crust in pan on a rack (crust may crack slightly). Crust may be made 1 day ahead and kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.
Make custard:
Chop basil. In a bowl whisk together basil and remaining custard ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
Pour custard into crust, spreading evenly. Halve tomatoes and arrange, cut sides up, in one layer on custard, pressing lightly into custard. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and bake tart in lower third of oven until custard is just set, about 25 minutes. Cool tart to warm in pan on rack. Tart may be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely before being chilled, covered, in pan. Reheat tart, uncovered, in a 350°F. oven or bring to room temperature before serving.
Carefully remove rim from pan. Cut tart into roughly 2-inch pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe submitted by Joel Rosen