cooking: meat sauce

It's been a tick since I bored y'all with my culinary adventuring, so here we go.

I adapted this from a recipe in Cook's Illustrated for baked ziti with sausage.
I made a version minus the ziti and the baking and the mozzarella, and it turned out very well. It's cold and wet today, so I'm reprising it.

for the sauce:

1 or 2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes, depending on how 'saucy' you like your sauce
1 or 2tbs olive oil
1lb italian sausage, casings removed and broken up into bite-sized pieces
1 small onion, diced
garlic to taste, minced (I like 2 cloves)
1/4 tsp sugar
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a huge skillet & brown the sausage, removing when just done, about 3 minutes
Cook the onion in the oil until translucent, scraping the pan to release the browned bits, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic & fry for 30 seconds or so.
Add the tomatoes, salt & sugar, stir and cook until reduced a bit, 15 to 20 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking make the pasta- I like Penne for this one, but any type will do. I've started salting the hell out of my pasta water with good results. 1tbs per 5 quarts works a treat. Drain pasta, reserving a 1/4 cup or so of the pasta water.

Add pasta & a splash of the water to the sauce in the skillet & stir to combine.
Check seasoning and serve hot with fresh grated Parmesan.