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1
In a bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt.
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2
Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes and add to flour mixture.
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3
With your fingertips or a pastry blender blend in butter until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps.
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4
Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated.
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5
Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart.
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6
If necessary, add enough remaining water, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring until incorporated and testing, to give mixture proper texture.
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7
(If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)
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8
Turn mixture out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions.
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9
With heel of hand smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat.
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10
Gather dough together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk.
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11
Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour, and up to 1 day.
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12
Preheat oven to 400F.
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13
Peel pears and halve lengthwise.
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14
Cut each half into 3 wedges and core.
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15
In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet melt butter over moderate heat and stir in sugar.
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16
Cook mixture, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is golden, about 6 minutes.
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17
Remove skillet from heat and let mixture stand until it begins to firm up, about 3 minutes.
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18
Arrange pears, rounded sides down, as close together as possible in 2 concentric circles in skillet.
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19
On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a 15-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and cut out an 11-inch round.
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20
Drape round over pears, tucking edge around pears, and with a fork prick dough in several places.
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21
Bake tart in middle of oven until pastry is golden and cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes.
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22
Cool tart in skillet on a rack 15 minutes.
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23
Invert a rimmed serving plate slightly larger than skillet over skillet and, wearing oven mitts and keeping plate firmly pressed against skillet, invert tart onto plate.
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24
Arrange any loose pears on tart and spoon sauce from plate onto tart.
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25
Serve tart warm or at room temperature.
