In a Dutch oven or kettle, cook onion and garlic in olive oil 5 minutes until onion is tender, but not brown.
Add the uncooked Italian sausage and cook until meat is brown. Drain fat.
Add the tomato puree, the undrained tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Add the sugar or honey, if you like. Bring the marinara sauce to boiling; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring frequently. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Serve marinara sauce over hot cooked pasta. Makes 8 servings.
To reduce the fat, cook onion and garlic with the sausage and omit the olive oil.