Polish Sausage and Lentils

Description
From my Aunt Barbara's collection. Notation on card says it came from the Cedar Oaks Plantation Recipes and is dated 1902.
 * Contributed by Cat's Recipes Y-Group

Ingredients

 * 1 cup rinsed lentils
 * 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
 * 2 medium onions, chopped
 * 3 garlic cloves, crushed
 * 1 medium-sized can tomatoes
 * 2 pounds Polish sausage
 * 1 teaspoon sugar,
 * ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,
 * 1 bay leaf
 * 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

 * 1) Put 1 cup rinsed lentils in a large saucepan with salted water to cover.
 * 2) Bring the lentils to a boil, cover them, and cook them over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until they are tender but still hold their shape.
 * 3) Drain them and reserve the cooking liquid.
 * 4) Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a flame proof casserole.
 * 5) Stir in 2 medium onions, chopped and 3 garlic cloves, crushed, and cook the mixture until the onions are tender.
 * 6) Mix in 1 medium-sized can tomatoes, drained and chopped, and cook the mixture over moderate heat until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
 * 7) Peel the casing from 2 pounds polish sausage and cut the meat into slices about ½ inch thick.
 * 8) Toss the sausage with the tomato mixture and add the lentils, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt.
 * 9) Stir in a little of the lentil liquid and bake the mixture in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes.
 * 10) Add more lentil liquid if the mixture looks dry during baking.