Tourtières are a French Canadian Christmas tradition; and, since my mother is from Montreal, it is not surprising that she has her own version, which she makes every Christmas, usually on Christmas Eve.   Sometimes, she makes another batch on New Year's Eve for midnight snacking.
        Tourtières are spicy meat pies, made with a mixture of minced meats, usually including beef and pork (at least the way my mother does them).   If you do not want the bother of making individual pies, it is at least equally traditional to just make one large one.

Ingredients

Directions

Making the Pastry
Put the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, rub in the lard, and add just sufficient water to make the other ingredients stick together.   Roll the dough into a ball.

Making the Filling
Put the minced pork and beef in a mixing bowl, and blend together with the spices.

Assembly
Sprinkle flour on a smooth flat clean surface, such as a kitchen counter.   Roll the pastry out thin, using a rolling pin.   Use a cookie cutter or a glass to cut out about two thirds of the pastry into circles and press them into the cups of one twelve-cup muffin tin (or two six-cup ones).   Roll out the remaining pastry, and cut it into smaller circles to make lids.
        If you have no leftover gravy, then make a Bisto gravy.   In a one-cup measuring cup, mix the Bisto with about a quartercupful of water, and then fill up the cup with water.
        Spoon the meat mixture into the tart shells, filling them about two-thirds full.   Hollow the centre of the meat, and fill with one tablespoonful of gravy per pie.
        Fit on the lids, pressing them tightly to the pastry cups, and crimping the edges to seal them.   Prick the top with a fork.   (This is to let out the steam as the pies bake.)

Baking
Bake at 375°F for twenty-five to thirty minutes, until golden brown.

Makes twelve pies.