tomato and mushroom sauce for pasta

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the onion and fry gently for 2 minutes. Add the garlic to the saucepan and continue to fry for 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle with a little salt and stir. Cover with a lid and fry gently for a further 5 minutes. The mushrooms will exude water and mushroom flavour into the beginnings of the sauce. Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, salt, bay leaf, dried marjoram if using and the remaining olive oil. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently in a covered pan for 30 minutes. Uncover and add the fresh marjoram at this stage if using and the white wine. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Check the seasoning. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and pour into a warmed dish. Pour the sauce over and serve immediately. Serve with grated Parmesan or Pecorino and an extra grinding of black pepper.