1. Place rhubarb in a saucepan with water and sugar and bring to a boil.
2. Simmer until thickened, about 50 minutes.
3. Pulse in blender or food processor until pureed.
For filling:
4. Whisk cornstarch, sugar, and egg yolks. Slowly add in 1/2 cup of the half-and-half and whisk until smooth.
5. Heat remaining half and a half to almost boiling over medium heat.
6. Gently whisk the hot half and half over the egg yolk/cornstarch mixture whisking quickly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
7. Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to a custard, about 5 minutes. You must whisk constantly to prevent burning and curdling.
8. If it does curdle whisk aggressively and run it through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any bits of scrambled egg.
9. Once removed from the heat source, add vanilla and store it in a bowl with plastic wrap pressed to the surface of the custard. Allow to cool to room temperature and then move to the refrigerator.
10. When fully chilled whisk the heavy cream to whipped cream consistency (stiff peaks) and gently fold the whipped cream into the custard.
For Crust:
11. Combine flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, and salt.
12. Add the cold butter cubes, then using a pastry cutter or your fingers, quickly break the butter up in the dry ingredients. You are aiming for the size of a small pea or a bit larger.
13. Work quickly. Once finished rest in the fridge for several minutes.

14. In a small bowl whisk together water and egg yolk.
15. Remove the mixture from the fridge, add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients. Use a fork to combine. It will feel like there are not enough wet ingredients. But it will come together, just keep going.
16. Sprinkle lightly with flour, form into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap.
17. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. This will allow the moisture to distribute. The crust can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
18. When ready to roll out, unwrap the dough into tart or pie pan. Press out with fingers working quickly to not warm the butter too much. onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to an 11-inch circle. If the dough starts to break up or tear as you’re rolling it, don’t panic. Simply place the dough into the tart pan and use your fingers to press it along the bottom, sides and edges.
19. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
20. Place in the fridge for twenty minutes while the oven preheats.
21. Line the unbaked crust with a sheet of foil or parchment paper covering all sides. Fill the pan with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans from the pan and bake for another 6 minutes, or until the bottom crust looks dry and the shell is a very pale golden color. Remove the pie from the oven and let the shell cool completely before filling.
22. Assembly: Add filling to crust. Top with strawberries and drizzle with rhubarb sauce