I like how you set the food up, but I agree that the light is too harsh. Have you tried shooting food in natural light? This would look beautiful in natural light. If you don't have good light in your kitchen then look around your your house. Is there a window or doorway you could use? If the light looks to harsh, use a sheet to diffuse it. Try different angles to get the look you want. Also, try closing down your aperture to get a larger dof..You want your pasta completely in focus.