My buddy and client Paolo put me up at the Hotel EOS on the edge of downtown Lecce last night.

I like the hotel a lot, in part because they serve classic Lecce pasticiotti (above), soft crumbly pastries filled with pastry cream or chocolate, at breakfast.

They also serve friselle (above), classic savory dried wholewheat buns.

Traditionally, they’re soaked in water and then served with savory toppings — mozzarella, tuna, tomatoes, salt, and olive oil — at lunch and dinner. But at the EOS, they serve them for the tourists (like me) for breakfast.

I couldn’t resist!