Pasta with lentils

Hi again, sorry for disappearing for so long, didn't really have time during those last days of the tour, and I'm spending this week in an internet-free apartment. So sad.

I'm about to leave to Italy for 4 months in which I intend on improving my cooking skills (while Wwoofing- working in organic farms: ).
And so I was reading about Italian cuisine, looking for things that are somewhat less known. I found one recipe for pasta with lentils, which is more like a stew with pasta than a regular pasta dish with sauce.
It's all made in the same pot, which I think is cool.

Ingredients:

1 cup green lentils.
250g short pasta.
5 ripe tomatoes (can be canned tomatoes).
2 tbs tomato paste.
2 onions, sliced to half rings.

1 fresh/dry chilli.
olive oil.
1 tsp sugar.
3 garlic cloves.
2 bay leaves.
Lots of chopped basil and parsley.
Salt and pepper.

Preparation:

- Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions, sugar and chilli, fry until brown.
- Add tomatoes and garlic and bay leaves, cook for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have emulsified.

- Mix in the lentils and add about 4 cups of water, it should be covered.
- Bring to a boil, than reduce heat and cook for at least 40 minutes (the lentils will be soft by then, but if you have time, cooking it longer will make the tastes stronger).
- Add the pasta, add water if needed (should be covered).
- Cook for an additional 10-13 minutes, until pasta is ready.

Serve covered with parsley and basil, and drizzle a bit of olive oil.