Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

Place pumpkin cut side up on baking tray with onion and garlic. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap garlic in foil.

Bake for 70 - 80 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft (test with skewer).

Pour 2 cups of milk into a blender.

Scoop seeds out of pumpkin and discard. Use a large spoon to scoop out pumpkin flesh from one pumpkin half and place into blender.

Peel off most of the dark burnt outer layer of onion. Cut in half (with spoon!) and transfer to blender.

Unwrap garlic and squeeze the flesh out of half the garlic into the blender.

Whizz until smooth. Adjust consistency to taste with water / milk. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Pour into bowls. Repeat with remaining pumpkin.

Drizzle with cream, sprinkle with parsley and serve with hot garlic bread on the side.