1 stick butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup grated aged gouda
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
kosher salt

Using a hand mixer on medium-low, begin creaming the butter. Slowly increase the speed as needed to whip up the butter. Decrease the speed to low and add 1 cup of the flour, the gouda, the pepper, and a large pinch of salt, and blend until all the ingredients are incorporated. Add as much of the reserved flour as necessary to get a crumbly, chunky dough that holds together when pressed.

Place a sheet of waxed paper on a flat surface, and dump the crumbly dough down into the middle. Press the dough into a rough log and roll up in the waxed paper. Twist the ends of the paper to close, and place the dough in the freezer for about 30 minutes to chill. Meanwhile, place a sheet of parchment paper* on a baking sheet and set aside.

Remove the dough from the freezer and slice using a thin, sharp knife. Your slices should be about 1/4 inch in thickness. Place your slices on your parchment paper -- they can be quite close together, as this dough is very similar to pie crust, and doesn't spread in the oven. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the crackers to cool before serving, as this will allow the delicate structure to set up.

*A note on parchment paper: I love it. While waxed paper has its uses, none of them can involve heat, because the wax melts and...yuck. Not tasty. Parchment paper, on the other hand, is impregnated with silicon, which can withstand very high heat. When baking cookies, I've managed to re-use the same sheet of paper several times when baking through a batch to no ill effect. You can also invest in a silpat mat (a flexible, reusable silicon mat) but I find it a little hard to clean. Parchment paper is magical.