Baby Bocconcini Meatballs

Do you think I've nailed it?
I have been experimenting and trying to find my 'comfort zone' in photographing food in dark, moody mode (notice the series of dark moody photos on my posts lately?)
Baby bocconcini meatballs was shot when the sun was just off its vertical position... 1.30 pm ish.

I have this huge glass window (facing north), is where I usually set my table. When its cloudy, or raining... I jumped with joy seeing the filtered light flooding in beautifully, but, it can also work against me when there is nothing but blue sky :(.

This was the case of playing peek-a-boo with the sun!

Baby bocconcini meatballs was ready but the sun was still high and bright, with some cloud, if I were to wait...my melted cheese would be meh :( but if I were to shoot...most probably all washed out :(.
Look at the photo above...could you see the hard shadow line? This was the moment when I was about to click, the sun decided to say hello between the thick rain clouds :(...

What say you...Do you think the photo above look unappetising? :P
I just put it up anyway...comments on how to improve moody food photos are most welcome :D

Watching Donna Hay cooked meatballs with bocconcini, and how all was done in the oven, I got hooked! 

Less mess, less cleaning up, no splitter splatter on the stove, my kind of cooking ...yippee... and give me a good excuse to 'season' my cast iron pan :D.

but...

...the only mess I made was... 

I accidentally knocked over my prop board, the board knocked my glass water pitcher ... water pitcher fell on to my pasta bowl (photo above) and left a big chipped on the side of the bowl with some ceramic chipped in the pasta :( Ouch!!!
Domino effect!!!

The bin had a bit of pasta too, but without baby bocconcini meatballs :P

Baby Bocconcini Meatballs

Ingredients

1 kg minced beef
50g shallots -chopped
15g garlic- chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 x220g baby bocconcini tub
2 canned whole tomatoes
2 teaspoon mixed herbs
handful mozzarella*
parmesan
handful basil leaves
salt and pepper 

1. Mix minced beef, shallots, garlic and mixed herbs.
2. Season with salt and pepper
3. Mix well
4. Ball up the mince meat, flatten and wrap baby bocconcini.
5. Rest for 30 minutes.
6. Pulsed tomatoes, add salt, pepper and sugar
7. Add chopped basil
8. Roll meatballs in flour, shaking off excess.
9. Heat cast iron pan (or any oven proof pan) in the oven at 180C for 10 minutes
10. Add olive oil and meatballs and bake for 10 minutes. Swirl to coat meatballs in oil for even browning and cooking
11. Add tomato sauce
12. add extra bocconcini (if any left) otherwise add mozarella cheese 
13. Bake for another 20 minutes until sauce thickens.
14. Serve with pasta or bread.