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Special Equipment: Two large, rimmed baking sheets; parchment paper
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Place the butter in the bowl of your KitchenAid(R) Stand Mixer fitted with the flat beater. Attach the KitchenAid(R) Sifter + Scale Attachment to your mixer. Make sure the ingredient valve is closed. Weigh the sugar and pepper in the ingredient hopper, taring the scale between ingredients. Turn the mixer to medium speed, open the ingredient valve, and sift the sugar mixture into the mixing bowl. Cream the butter mixture until the sugar is incorporated, about 1 minute. Turn the mixer to medium-low, add the egg yolks, one at a time, and mix just until combined. Scrape down the bowl, add the Parmesan cheese, and mix until combined, 30 seconds longer.
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Close the ingredient valve. Weigh the flour, cornmeal, and salt in the ingredient hopper. With the mixer on low speed, open the ingredient valve, and sift in the flour mixture. Be careful not to overmix the dough. Remove the mixer bowl, and use a rubber spatula to blend in any flour remaining on the sides of the bowl.
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Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gather it into a ball and divide the ball in half. Shape each half, first into a 9-in-/23-cm-long log, and then press the sides against the work surface to flatten them, forming a 10-in-/25-cm-long rectangle that is 1-in/2.5-cm square. Cover each rectangle in black pepper, gently pressing dough to set the pepper. Wrap each log in plastic wrap or waxed paper, seal the ends, and refrigerate until completely firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
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Position one oven rack in the center and the second rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350u00b0F/180u00b0C/gas 4. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
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With a sharp knife, slice each rectangular log crosswise into 1/3-in-/8-mm-thick slices. Place the slices at least one inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the edges and bottoms of cookies are golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans from front to back and between the middle and lower racks halfway through.
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Let the shortbreads cool for several minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They will keep in an airtight container for at least 1 week.
