To prepare this recipe, begin by making the filling. Spoon the contents of a 14-ounce can of whole or chopped tomatoes into a strainer perched above a cooking pot. Press down on the tomato solids in the strainer. About 3/4 cup of juice will strain into your cooking pot. Spoon the solids into a bowl and set them aside. Heat the tomato juice while seasoning it with 1 t each onion powder, a vegetable bouillon cube, 1/2 t each marjoram and thyme, and 1/4 t each pepper and rosemary. When the juice is hot, add 1 C of TVP. Turn off the heat and let the TVP marinate in the liquid for at least 15 minutes. As it absorbs the hot, spicy liquid, it will soften nicely. This mixture will be part of your meaty-tasting filling.
Now prepare the rest of the vegetarian filling. In a pan, saut in 1 T oil a couple of cloves of pressed or chopped garlic, 2 T chopped onion, and 1/3 C each chopped green pepper and chopped celery. As they soften (in about 5 minutes), open a 6 ounce can of kernel corn and drain the liquid into your blender. Put 1/2 C of the kernel corn into the pan with the pepper and celery. Put another 1/4 C of corn into the blender with the liquid. (You can freeze the rest of the corn to add to tomorrow's luncheon salad.) Don't blend yet. Then add the tomato solids and corn to the pan with 1 t sugar and 1 t Worcestershire sauce. Saut for 5 minutes. Add 3 or 4 sliced fresh mushrooms and 1/2 C canned tomato sauce. Saut for a couple of minutes. Finally, add the marinated TVP to the pan and cook gently at a low temperature for 5 minutes. Cover and set aside. Meanwhile, set the oven at 400 and prepare the topping for your pone. In a bowl, sift 1/2 C cornmeal with 1/2 C whole-wheat or gluten-free flour, 1 T sugar, and 1 t baking powder. Set a side for a moment. Go back to your blender.
To the corn and liquid, add 1 egg or equivalent in Eggbeaters and 1 T oil. Blend until fairly smooth. Pour this corny mixture onto the cornmeal mix in the bowl. Stir until just moistened. Oil a 1-quart shallow pie plate (I use a pyrex baker) and spoon the vegetable-TVP mix into it. Spread the cornmeal mix on top. Bake your Cornpone Pasty for about 10 or 15 minutes. As it firms, the topping will turn golden brown and crusty. The pasty will stay hot for a long time after it's finished cooking, giving you time to prepare your accompanying veggies or salad, but cover it with foil to be sure of a hot pasty at serving time.
