Too deeply nested at just fourth nesting level using pandoc with markdown?

Question

The following code is not accepted by pandoc:

1. Code Behaviors
    1. Logging
        1. No "bare" `System.out.println`'s
        1. Logging level can be calibrated by simple change(s) to logging.xml and/or log4j.properties
        1. Errors and exceptions go to appropriate WARN and/or ERROR logging levels
    1. Errors and Exceptions
        1. Almost never "swallowed"
            1. Can only happen for well understood situations
                1. Must be documented clearly in code why they are swallowed
                1. Only a specific exception or error may be swallowed this way
                - In particular can not be done for general Exception.
                - Throwable can never be handled this way

Which should look like this:

1. Code Behaviors
   1. Logging
      1. No "bare" System.out.println's
      2. Logging level can be calibrated by simple change(s) to logging.xml and/or log4j.properties
      3. Errors and exceptions go to appropriate WARN and/or ERROR logging levels
   2. Errors and Exceptions
      1. Almost never "swallowed"
         1. Can only happen for well understood situations
            1. Must be documented clearly in code why they are swallowed
            2. Only a specific exception or error may be swallowed this way
               • In particular can not be done for general Exception.
               • Throwable can never be handled this way

Using the command line

pandoc --toc  --toc-depth=6 -V fontsize=10pt --pdf-engine xelatex
  -V geometry:"left=1.5cm,right=1.5cm,top=2cm,bottom=2cm" -o review.pdf review.md

We get

Error producing PDF.
! LaTeX Error: Too deeply nested.

See the LaTeX manual or LaTeX Companion for explanation.
Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
 ...

l.159         \begin{enumerate}

Update I tried to add in additional levels using enumitem package to the preamble as suggested here https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/464459/45938 - but to no effect (same error produced):

---
title: My Review
subtitle: My subtitle 
documentclass: extarticle
author: First Last Sept 15, 2019
geometry: "left=1.5cm,right=1.5cm,top=2cm,bottom=2cm"
header-includes:
  - \usepackage{unicode-math}
  - \setmainfont{TeX Gyre Schola}
  - \setmathfont{TeX Gyre Schola Math}
  - \usepackage{enumitem}
  - \setlistdepth{20}
  - \renewlist{itemize}{itemize}{20}
  - \setlist[itemize]{label=$\cdot$}
  - \setlist[itemize,1]{label=\textbullet}
  - \setlist[itemize,2]{label=--}
  - \setlist[itemize,3]{label=*}

output:
  rmarkdown::html_document:
    theme: lumen
    fig_caption: yes

---

Answer 1

Using enumitem is the correct approach. However, you have to extend both enumerate and itemize environments:

---
header-includes:
  - \usepackage{enumitem}
  - \setlistdepth{20}
  - \renewlist{itemize}{itemize}{20}
  - \renewlist{enumerate}{enumerate}{20}
  - \setlist[itemize]{label=$\cdot$}
  - \setlist[itemize,1]{label=\textbullet}
  - \setlist[itemize,2]{label=--}
  - \setlist[itemize,3]{label=*}
output:
  rmarkdown::pdf_document:
      keep_tex: yes
---

1. Code Behaviors
    1. Logging
        1. No "bare" `System.out.println`'s
        1. Logging level can be calibrated by simple change(s) to logging.xml and/or log4j.properties
        1. Errors and exceptions go to appropriate WARN and/or ERROR logging levels
    1. Errors and Exceptions
        1. Almost never "swallowed"
            1. Can only happen for well understood situations
                1. Must be documented clearly in code why they are swallowed
                1. Only a specific exception or error may be swallowed this way
                    - In particular can not be done for general Exception.
                    - Throwable can never be handled this way

Output:

Note: The output.rmakrdown::pdf_document.keep_tex flag means that the intermediate tex file is retained.